Full Circle
by rock-star-vt
Summary: A mysterious girl appears as things start to unravel and the story comes to an end. Where does this girl fall into this? You'd be surprised. R&R please, I need some feedback!! Chapter 7 is now up.
1. Stranger in a Strange Land

A Stranger in a Strange Land

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I must be invisible

No one knows me

I have crawled down dead-end streets

On my hands and knees.

Cause I'm a lonely stranger here

Well beyond my day

I don't know what's goin' on

So I'll be on my way.

Lonely Stranger–Eric Clapton

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You know that place between sleep and awake? In that place you're not exactly sure what you see is real. It's the same with all of your senses. It's also the same when you are between being dead and alive. The thoughts you think, the sights you see, and the sounds you hear can either be real, or apart of your subconscious mind as it works its way into hallucinations, and eventually death. It's even worse if you die of hypothermia.

She had been this way for two hours now. 

Sometimes she thought about how she had gotten herself into this mess. After all, wasn't she driving on her way to a party at her friend's place? Or so she thought. She's not really quite sure of anything anymore. There was some kind of accident, although she doesn't really know what happened. _There was this bright flash of light, and then I was out in some field_, she thought to herself. She was trying to reconstruct the events leading up to her present state, although she wasn't quite sure what was reality and what wasn't anymore. She was afraid, and she was dying. 

She thought about a lot of things, past and present. And sometimes she cried out in the winter afternoon. The thing she thought about the most, was her 

__

Mom. 

Where are you? 

She was like this when they found her. It was the beast that found her first. He was the tall, powerful blue Ronso. He had sensed something was near. If it weren't for him, she would have surely died. 

But it was the young blonde-haired guy that took initiative. 

"Lulu, get us a fire going. I think she is going to die."

To the young girl, this was all apart of her reality, which wasn't much of a reality anymore. She thought they were more hallucinations from people of her past

__

But I don't know these people, some sane part of her mind thought. But wait, that one voice, it does seem kind of familiar. 

It was then that she felt immediate warmth from somewhere close by. And that frightened her more. She was somehow drawn to it despite her constant shivering. Again, she heard voices that seemed real, but couldn't be. Some girl, whose voice she did not recognize but seemed sincere, said "Stand back."

It was then that curaga was cast upon the poor girl.

To her, having never felt the mystic power of curative magic (or any magic for that matter), it was a rush that she had never felt before. 

"Ahhhhhhh!!!!" she screamed at her rescuers. The scream was more of fright from the unknown than it was rage at anyone. She had no idea what that strange healing power was. 

"Wah. What in Yevon's name did you do to her Yuna?" That was Wakka. Although she had no idea who he was, she felt some kind of warmth and friendship from him. But she had never heard that island accent before.

"Nothing." Yuna said innocently. "I just did a standard cure." 

"Well" the Auroch said, "It sounded like you killed her." 

Tidus, the young blonde-haired boy she had first seen, knelt down beside the still trembling girl. "Are you ok?" was all he said.

The girl, now seemingly all right, but as confused as ever, tried to say "Yes," but it came out slurred and in three syllables. 

__

Calm down, she told herself_. There has to be a perfect reasonable answer for all of this._ But still she was afraid.

"Yes," she repeated. This time it came out more coherently. "Thank you."

She was still confused and couldn't shake this disoriented feeling, but that small sane voice in the back of her head told her it was going to be all right.

She tried to stand up, and that just didn't work out as she collapsed back onto her knees.

"Easy there." Tidus said as he put his arm around her shoulders to steady her. "Take it slow."

For Tidus he couldn't help but be confused. They had just beaten an incarnation of Seymour and his monstrous companion and he was beat up. Going up the Gagazet Trail took its toll on Tidus, as well as all the other guardians. For lack of a better word, he was exhausted. Seeing this girl was the last thing he had ever expected. Although there was no reason for him to ever know her, he couldn't shake this feeling: _She seems familiar._

__

Oh well. The young man thought to himself. _You'll figure it out once she gains the strength to talk._ He watched as she tried to stand up again. She wavered a little bit as if she was going to fall down again when Kimarhi reached his furry blue hand out and steadied her. 

"Thank you" said, still looking down.

She turned her face up to look at Kimahri. It was then that she let out a scream of terror at the big blue beast.

Oh my God, what is that thing? The girl thought_. Is it going to eat me?_

Before Kimahri could express his nice intentions, the girl fell again trying to step back from him.

And this was how Faith met the summoner and her guardians.

Authors notes:

1–The characters, places, events referred to, etc., are copyrighted by Squaresoft. 

2–This story however is created by me.

3–Faith is my character, don't use her in any way she wouldn't appreciate.

4–My goal for this fanfic is to look at the last events of the game, and a hypothetical story line afterwards, from another point of view. In other words, the story from someone else's eyes but Tidus, although I will be using his thoughts in a first person sometimes. Just for character development purposes. 

5–Any comments, complaints, bashings, etc., hit me at rune_paradigm@yahoo.com, or just put it in a review.

6–Final Fantasy X Rocks. Bring down somebody's GPA and introduce this game to them.


	2. More Confusion

More Confusion

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Gone away

Who knows where you been

You take all your lies

And wish them all away

I somehow doubt

We'll ever be the same

There's too much poison

And confusion on your face

Hate this place—Goo Goo Dolls

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"So what do we do with her?"  Tidus asked quietly.

He glanced across his shoulders to the girl they were talking about.  She was holding her hands close to the fire in an effort to warm her body.  Wakka was next to her asking questions, but it was obvious that she wasn't ready to talk.  _She looks scared and confused, he thought.  It was then that Tidus realized how pretty she was. _

She had light red hair to her shoulders and it was pulled back behind her ears.  _She's about five-three, he thought to himself.  She had a very pretty face and nice features.  There was also something extremely attractive about her, although he couldn't quite put his finger on it.  She also was extremely out of place.  It was obvious to Tidus that she was dressed way too lightly to be out in the numbing cold of Mount Gagazet._

"What do you think we are going to do with her?"  Auron asked sarcastically.  He shifted the large sword is back as he talked.  "We got to take her with us."

"Do you think that is wise?"  Yuna asked the powerful guardian.

Yuna herself had no objection to taking in the girl.  Besides, to her it was murder to leave her out here and die of hypothermia, and she was not going to be apart of that.  The thing that troubled her was the way that Tidus looked at her just now.  Instead of the causal glance to see if she was listening in, it seemed more to her like Tidus was studying her.  _In more than one way, she thought bitterly to herself.  Ever since the night at the lake when they had shared their first kiss, Yuna had never been happier.  _It must be natural jealousy_, she admitted to herself.  _Stop it, after all, aren't we together?_ She thought to herself.  Regardless of those facts, she would take the mysterious girl into the group just long enough to get her to civilization._

"No."  Auron solemnly said in his natural cool, collective way.  "But it would be heartless to leave her out here to fend for herself.  Besides" he said, pausing to look back at the mysterious girl. "I have a few questions for her."

With that being said he started walking towards her and the rest followed.  Yuna looked at Tidus to see if the same gaze was in his eyes.  She breathed a sigh of relief when it wasn't.

"So who are you?"  Tidus asked the confused girl.

_Who does this guy thing he is? Faith thought to herself.  Although he didn't look like the type to demand questions out of someone, it seemed as if natural curiosity had gotten the better of him.  She took notice of the three people huddle over by the cliff's face and it didn't take her long to figure out what they were talking about.  At one point she saw the blonde guy, who still looks vaguely familiar, stare at her once.  Not like a normal stare at someone who has just seemingly fallen out of the clouds, but a stare like she had seen some of the guys at her college look at her when she passed by.  _

_He was checking me out, she thought.  __And now he is demanding questions.  It was kinda funny._

"My name is Faith."

The guy with the weird accent and the warm voice had a sudden look of shock on his face as he realized that she could speak.  Faith paid it no attention.

"I want to thank you for saving me."  She paused for a while.  The silence was so thick she felt she could slice it with a knife.  

"Why are you out here?"  Auron said.  To Faith, Auron seemed menacing, but in a way only to someone who should be afraid of him.  She felt no threat from this man.  But she did feel threatened from _that thing, she thought as she looked at Kimahri.  She was horrified by that huge beast with the large spear.  After all, she had never seen a Ronso before.  She wandered strangely why no one of the others felt the same way._

But she had to answer this man's question.  

"We'll" she began.  "I was on my way to a friend's house, and something happened, although I don't know what.  There were buildings crumbling, like an earthquake, and then there was this bright flash of light, and then I remember stumbling out here in some field until you found me."  She paused again.  "That's all I remember.  More could have happened, but that's all I can think of."

The look on their faces stated obviously that she didn't say what any of them expected her to say. 

"Ok."  Wakka said.  "You mind explainin' all that again ya?  Cuz I don't think you were on your way to anybody's house way up here in the mountains."

"Yeah."  Rikku chipped in.  "Plus, I haven't seen any buildings for days."

"I'm honest" Faith pleaded.  "I was going to her house for a party because of the big blitzball game tonight."

"Blitzball!!"  Tidus and Wakka said simultaneously.  

"Woah, woah, woah" Wakka said.  "There is no blitzball game today.  The championship is already over with."

"What are you, kidding?"  Faith asked sarcastically.  "The first game of the playoffs is tonight.  It's gonna be awesome.  That's what we were gonna watch.  We were gonna watch the game.  Honest." 

That last word tugged at Tidus' emotions.  The way she said it, she almost pleaded them to believe her.  _Boy I feel for her, he thought to himself.  __I don't know what happened to her, but I've been where she is now.  Briefly he recalled his first days in Spira where nobody believed him about Zanarkand._

"I'm telling the truth."  She said again in that pleading tone.  

Faith looked away as she tried to hold back her own emotions.

"Nobody is saying that you are lying."  Yuna said to her.  "We just, don't really understand you yet.  But we'll figure it all out soon."  

_Yuna always knows how to put someone at ease, Tidus thought to himself as he glanced towards her. _

"Yea, we'll."  Wakka began "I don't think you're lying to us, but I don't think it's really the truth.  After all, I know the blitz championship is over, cuz the Aurochs took the cup."

"I don't know who the Aurochs are."  Faith responded slowly and thoughtfully.  _Finally, she thought to herself.  __I find something that they recognize, and I end up looking more like an idiot.  _

"Are they Division Two?"  She followed up.  "All I know is that the Zanarkand Abes are taking the championship this year.  At least that's who I'm pulling for."

"Whoa wait a second."  Tidus exclaimed.  "Did you just say the Zanarkand Abes?"

Faith's eyes lit up as she realized that someone knows, or at least had a remote idea, of what she was talking about.

"Yeah." She said enthusiastically.  "They're my team, I grew up in Zanarkand and I've always been an Abes fan.  I went to all of their home games this year."

It was then that sudden recognition took off in Faith's face.  All this time, this blonde, young man looked familiar, like somebody she should know.  In that moment she knew exactly who he was as she blurted out: "Oh my God, you're Tidus, the star player of the Abes.  You're starting in the big game tonight."

The implication of her knowing Tidus struck Lulu like a shoopuf falling off of a temple.  "Don't tell me."  She said in her own cool stature as she continued, "Don't tell me, that you are from Zanarkand too."

"Of course I am, I just told you so."  Faith responded with a sense of casualness that irked Lulu.

"This is foolishness." Auron said blatantly.  "You can not be from Zanarkand."  

Tidus shot a look towards the long since fallen monk_.  Is there anything else about this guy that he isn't telling me? he thought to himself. __Like about this girl.  He felt like asking Auron "how would you know if she is from Zanarkand?" but he held his tongue._

"No offense Faith."  Wakka said, "but I have heard all of this before."  With that last sentence he looked Tidus right in the face.  

"Hey hey.  Don't look at me.  I've never seen her before in my life."

Faith, getting more and more confused by the minute, tried to reason it out.  "But there are thousands of people in Zanarkand.  It wouldn't make sense for us to know each other.  Haven't you ever been there?"

There was an awkward silence that fell on everybody.

"No."  he slowly answered.  "But I will by the end of the day.  The only Zanarkand I know, is the one right behind you."

Faith stood up and turned around.  As she walked toward the end of the cliff, she fully expected to see Zanarkand with all of its lights and tall buildings and the large sphere pool in the very back.  But what she saw was a city of ruins.  _And more than that, she thought, __it looked as if it had been in ruins for hundreds of years._

"What, is this a joke?" she said as she turned back to Wakka.  

"No." Tidus answered for him.  "This is for real.  This is Zanarkand."  He paused before continuing.  "A thousand years after me and you lived here."

She didn't want to believe it, but something in the young man's eyes told her she should.  

She turned back to the fallen city_.  I can't believe it, she thought to herself.__  There's no way.  But something stuck out in her eyes.  It was not really noticeable, unless someone was looking for it.  But there it was, in the back rear side of the city.  It looked like a blitzball stadium, over a thousand years old.  _

"No."  was all she said as she stood in disbelief.  "It can't be."  She said aloud.  But deep down, something told her that it was. 

"No." she repeated to herself.

"No."

Authors notes:

1—The characters, places, events referred to, etc., are copyrighted by Squaresoft.  

2—This story however is created by me.

3—Faith is my character, don't use her in any way she wouldn't appreciate.

4—Yeah, I know, her being from Zanarkand isn't that much of a shock is it? 

5—No, I don't really know what a shoopuf falling off of a temple would feel like, I just image that it would take more than a potion to help you out.   

5—Any comments, complaints, advice, bashings, etc., hit me at rune_paradigm@yahoo.com, or just put it in a review.


	3. Along for the Ride

Along for the Ride

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Must be for real

Cos now i can feel

And I didn't mind

It's not my kind

Not my time to wonder why

Everything's gone white

And everything's grey

Now you're here now you're away

I don't want this

Remember that

I'll never forget where you're at

Don't let the days go by

Glycerine

Glycerine--Bush

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

For Tidus, he didn't know how to feel about Faith. Part of him felt compassion, and even some kind of connection with her. _After all_, he thought, _we're both from a world that nobody else is from. We're both from a Zanarkand of a thousand years ago. _The secong feeling he had was fright, not nesseasarily of her, but of the situation. _Why are there others who are coming to Spira,_ he thought to himself._ For what purpose? _And the last part of him felt attraction towards her. As she was walking in front of him going down the backside of Mount Gagazet, he would look at her occasionally, and then scorn himself immediately afterward.

But then he would look beside him and see Yuna, who would look back at him and smile. At times like that he would feel as if he had to smile back at her.

He was happy.

They've been walking down the trail for about fifteen minutes now without much conversation. After Faith had come to terms with the fact that her homeland was no longer there, and everything she had ever known is gone, she turned back to the group with tears in her eyes. Although she always referred to herself as being a strong girl, this was almost too much to bear. _What's happening to me?_ She solomly thought to herself. _Why is this happening? Have I died? Mom, where are you?_

"What happened to it?" she had said looking down at the snow.

"Sin." Tidus answered morbidly.

"Sin?" she repeated as she turned back towards the group. "What is Sin?"

"An evil, evil being that destroyed almost all of Spira." Lulu said. "Were on a mission. Were trying to stop it."

"Sin." Faith repeated, more to herself that to any of the group. "When did this happen?" 

"A thousand years ago." Yuna said. 

"Why am I here?" Faith asked finally.

There was no response. 

That's how it had been. Now as they walked down from the freezing mountain, Tidus had a chance to think. _Maybe, there's a pathway between the two times_, he pondered. _There had to be, someway. Me, My old man, and now Faith. We had all went through. But is there a way back?_ That threw him for a loop, because if there is a way back, then there might be a way to save Yuna. 

His footing almost gave way as the thought of Yuna. Soon, she would have to sacrifice herself for the next calm. Tidus managed to catch himself before he fell. He still didn't want to believe that she had to die for everyone else's happiness. _There has to be another way, right?_

Tidus was so wrapped up in thought that he was completely taken by surprise when an Ogre burst through the snow and came charging at them. The massive fiend was heading right for Faith. Tidus took a step towards her in an attempt to push her out of the way. It was obvious that he wasn't going to make it in time. But right before the Ogre plowed into Faith, Kimahri swept down and pulled her out of the way. 

Immediately the group set up for battle. 

Auron threw the first blow from his massive sword as Yuna used protection on the group. Lulu unleashed Flare and the monstrosity withdrew backwards. It was then that Tidus stepped in and sliced the Ogre into oblivion.

From begining to end, the attack had taken no more than thirty seconds, but for Faith it seemed like an eternity, or better yet, a thousand years. She was surprised by the ability that Lulu had to make the beast seemingly combust upon itself. But she more shocked by Tidus' ability to attack so fluidly and quickly. It was weird, seeing this guy, the only guy, from her home, use a sword when she expected a blitzball. _Just more things that doesn't make any sense_, she thought. _When is somebody going to explain this?_

"Faith, Faith, are you Ok?" It was Rikku who rushed in to see if the new girl was all right. "You're not hurt are you?"

"No. I think I'm ok. What happened? What was that thing?"

"That was a fiend." Rikku retorted.

"An extremely powerful one." Auron added as he looked down upon Faith.

"Are you sure you're ok?" _Rikku had a way to persist on things_, Faith thought_. I like her though. She's naturally caring, and kinda cool_. Faith paused her thoughts to get up from the snow and brush herself off..

"Yes, I'm fine." She said to answer Rikku's question

When she looked around, she saw Kimahri staring directly at her. But it wasn't a menacing stare, it was a stare of concern. _I misjudged him_, she thought bitterly. 

"Thank you." She said to the blue Ronso. "You saved me."

"You're welcome." Kimahri said in his natural way of understating things.

Auron, who still seemed irritated that Faith was along for the ride, spoke up again. "You should be more careful. This world is not as forgiving as the one you came from."

"Hey, give her a break." Tidus responded. "She doesn't know."

"Then she will have to learn." Auron said as he began walking down the trail again.

"What's his problem?" Faith asked slowly, hoping that Auron wouldn't hear.

"Oh he's just like that." Rikku responded, "You're just going to have to ignore him sometimes."

"Sir Auron" Yuna began, "Is always a little too serious."

"Yeah well, I just wished he would lighten up." Faith said as the girls began to follow the rest of the group.

It was then that they heard a voice come from down the trail. It was a shout of shock. It was followed by Tidus yelling "Hey guys, get down here."

"Woah," Wakka exclaimed, "What are those?" he said as he pointed to the face of the cliff.

He was standing beside what looked like a water fountain. But what was more shocking was what was next to Tidus. It looked as if hundreds of people had been grafted into the rock wall.

"Those are Fayth." Yuna replied.

"Faith?" Faith asked.

"No, not you, Fayth." Rikku said "F-A-Y-T-H. It's powerful people who give summoners their power."

"Oh." Faith responded. She had no idea what Rikku said, but she was just glad they weren't talking about her.

"A summoning." Yuna said, as she recognized the scene. "Someone is using these Fayth. Someone is drawing energy from all of them."

"This many?" Rikku asked as she looked around. There must be hundreds here.

"Who wields power on this scale," Lulu asked. "And what could they be calling?"

It was then that Rikku looked at Auron and she believed she had an answer.

"You," she began as she pointed her finger towards him. "You know something don't you?"

Auron only stood there, silent. 

"Spill the beans." Rikku demanded.

"Look not to others for knowledge." He replied as if he had the wisdom of a temple monk. "This is your journey too."

He began to walk away when Rikku yelled out "Yunie might die, you know."

Faith didn't know who Rikku was talking about, or how someone was going to die. What fascinated her was the water fountain, which really didn't look like a water fountain at all. It had some kind of mystic flow to it. But there was something else; something that she couldn't put her finger on.

__

It looks familiar, she thought after a few seconds. _Wait. It doesn't look like anything I have ever seen before, but something seems familiar about it_. She then had a sudden feeling of homesickness that she couldn't shake. 

"No." Tidus said reluctantly. "Auron's right."

"Hmm?" Rikku replied.

"This is our," but the Tidus paused. "This is my story."

And without warning, Tidus fell to the ground.

When Tidus came to, he was in that place between sleep and awake. He wasn't sure what had happened, or if he was dreaming, or where he was. He felt disoriented. Until he opened his eyes. 

__

Zanarkand? He thought as he rose up. _What is this? Where's Yuna?_

He was walking around looking everywhere. He was walking in a daze thinking, _Why am I here? Is this a dream?_ He stumbled around the vacant street until he saw something that made him stop in his tracks. 

__

That's my house, he thought

With a sense of confusion, and a bad feeling inside, he stepped towards his old home.

"Welcome home." A strange, but somehow, familiar voice said. He turned around and saw that same mysterious figure he had seen somewhere before. 

"Remember me?" the figure said. "We met in Bevelle."

"Uh, yeah." Was all he could coherently reply.

"But that wasn't the first time we met." The figure said. "I've known about you for a long time. A long, long time."

Reluctantly, Tidus said "I feel like I've known you too." He paused. "Where are we?"

At that, the figure started laughing. "Don't recognize your own home?"

Then the figure disappeared, as quickly and quietly as it had appeared.

As Tidus walked out the door Wakka's voice seemed to come out of nowhere, but it seemed as if it was coming from everywhere.

"What's gotten into you? Hey!"

Then, to Tidus' surprise, he saw Rikku phase into his realm and say "Wake up!! Wake up!!"

In a way, he wanted to. But he felt that he should find this person again. _Something important is about to happen_, he thought.

The figure was outside and up the stairs.

As he was walking up to her, he realized what was going on.

"Wait," he exclaimed "This is a dream."

"Precisely" was her reply.

But that wasn't exactly the reply he expected.

"Wait," he caught himself. "A dream. Are you crazy? I don't have time to be dreaming now." His mind flashed to Yuna as he thought about needing to continue the pilgrammage. 

"You're wrong." The figure responded. "It's not that you are dreaming, you are a dream."

That last sentence hung in the air a moment before Tidus could respond.

"Hey. Wait a sec."

And with that, the person was gone again. But it didn't take long for Tidus to find her.

"Long ago, there was a war." she began.

"Yeah," Tidus agreed. "With machina right?"

"Yes. A war between Zanarkand and Bevelle. Bevelle's machina assured their victory from the start. Spira had never seen such power. The people of Zanarkand didn't stand a chance. Zanarkand was doomed to oblivion."

"That's why we tried to save it." She continued. "If only in a memory."

"What did you do?" Tidus asked.

"The remaining townspeople who survived the war, they all became Fayth. Fayth for the summoning."

"What summoning?" Tidus asked. "You mean Sin?"

"No." the Fayth responded. "I mean this life. A Zanarkand that never sleeps"

"Wha—what?" Tidus asked. He had no idea what was going on anymore. The more he tried to understand, the more it eluded him. But it felt as if he was on the right track. He felt as if she was telling the truth, but he just had to grasp it.

"The dreams of the Fayth summoned the memories of the city. They summoned all the buildings and all of the people who lived there."

"The people. Why? They're all dreams?" Suddenly a sinking feeling hit Tidus. He didn't want to hear anymore. He had this bad feeling that he was about to find out something that he really didn't want to know. But he made himself go on.

"Me too?" he asked, not really wanting the answer.

There was a pause that he didn't like.

"Yes. You're a dream of the Fayth. You, your father, your mother, everyone, all dreams."

There was another awkward pause before she continued.

"And if the Fayth stop dreaming." She paused, allowing for the visualization to take effect.

One by one the buildings, the streets, and the lights started to dissapear. Tidus was frightened. Then the only thing left was the street he was on, his house, the girl, and himself.

"No." He shouted as his own house disappeared before his eyes.

He stood there a moment, trying to process what was going on. 

"So what if I'm a dream. I like being here." There was a sense of arrogance in his voice that he didn't like.

"But we've been dreaming so long" the Fayth replied.

To Tidus she sounded desperate. "We're tired"

"Would you, and your father, would you let us rest?" There was that desperate tone again in her voice. "Both you and your father have been touched by Sin. Sin, the one around whom all Spira, the spiral, revolves."

"What are you saying?" Tidus asked.

"You two are more than just dreams now."

Somewhere behind him, he heard Yuna's voice plead "Wake up, wake up, please."

At the sound of her voice, Tidus wanted to turn around, and to hold her here and now in Zanarkand. But he was too transfixed upon the Fayth to even move. Somewhere in the back of his mind his thoughts were going around and around. He was looking for something to disprove this. He was looking for something to tell her that this wasn't true. And then he found it.

"Faith!!" He exclaimed. "What about Faith? Is she part of the dream too?"

At this, the girl turned her back on him. "She isn't one of ours."

"What?" Tidus asked. "What do you mean?"

"She isn't one of our dreams, but still she was there."

"Yeah I know." Tidus said. "She knows who I am. But what do you mean she wasn't one of yours."

"She's not one of our dreams. But she was there. We really don't know much about her. But she frightens us. I hope she disappears when you beat Sin."

"Woa, what a thing to say." He paused thinking about what was just said. "So when we beat Sin, I'm gonna dissapear. Me and my old man?"

"You two are dreams, and a little more." The Fayth paused and turned back to Tidus. "And maybe, maybe you are the dream that will end our dreaming at last." 

Then Tidus phased back into reality. It all became clear to him now.

As he came to, he heard Yuna ask "Are you allright?"

Tidus still felt groggy from his trip into the dream world of Zanarkand. More than that, he felt a sense of dread. He felt as if his own end was coming. _Now I know how Yuna feels,_ he thought to himself.

"Whew, we were so worried about you" Rikku said.

"Are you ok?" Lulu asked.

"I'm ok" he said, still thinking about all of the implications of what had just happened.

"What happened?" Yuna asked.

__

What do I say? He thought to himself. _I can't say the truth._

"Nothing." He said. "I blacked out. I was dreaming." That word still hung awkwardly in the air. "You called me, and I woke up." 

__

I hate to lie, he thought bitterly_. Especcially to Yuna. I really don't want to lie to the person I_ He hung there a minute thinking about the next word in his thoughts_. the person Ilove?_ But did he love her? He wasn't quite sure. But he cared for her. He cared enough to accept the fact that he would disappear if they could beat Sin. _I would rather myself go, than for Yuna to_. Either way, he felt horrible for lying to her. He tried not to think about it as he walked past her, then Auron, and then Faith. 

__

What about her? He thought to himself about the new redheaded girl who is also a dream. _Where is she from? What is her story? And why are the Fayth afraid of her?_ He would figure all of that out later. _I feel like I need to go somewhere and clear my head._

He gave a fake stretch and continued lying. "Nothing like a good nap. I'm ready, lets go." With that, he started to walk toward Zanarkand.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Author's notes.

1—The characters, places, events referred to, etc., are copyrighted by Squaresoft. 

2—This story however is created by me.

3—Faith is my character, don't use her in any way she wouldn't appreciate.

4—That dialogue should seem familiar, it's word for word verbatim from the game. That is, everything that doesn't have to do with Faith. 

5—I suppose that Squaresoft owns the verbatim conversation as well, so I had better say that or fear their wrath.

6—I will try to post the next chapter kinda quickly, but no guarantees, I've got finals coming up and I should probably play the game from this point out just to stay consistant in my story.

7—More Faith character development next time, I swear.

8—Any comments, complaints, advice, bashings, etc., hit me at rune_paradigm@yahoo.com, or just put it in a review.


	4. Secrets and Sympathy

Secrets and Sympathy

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Memories are just where you laid them

Drag the waters 'till the depths give up their dead

What did you expect to find?

Was there something you left behind?

Don't you remember anything I said when I said

Don't fall away, and leave me to myself

Don't fall away and leave love bleeding

In my hands, in my hands again

Leave love bleeding 

In my hands, in my hands

Love lies bleeding

Don't me now I feel contagious

Am I the only place that you've left to go?

She cries her life is like

Some movie black and white

Dead actors faking lines

Over and over and over again, she cries

Hemorrhage--Fuel 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It didn't take the group long to reach the Gagazet Caverns.  

During that time period Tidus was consumed by his own thoughts_.  Was it__ possible? he thought.  __Am I really a dream?  Am I going to fade away like the rest of Zanarkand after Sin is defeated?  It wasn't that he didn't want to be a hero and sacrifice himself for the good of Spira.  He just wanted to be with Yuna.  Was that too much to ask?  __I guess it is, he thought._

Yuna didn't know what to think about the man she loved.  She was scared that something had happened to him.  All the time that he was laying there on the ground, Yuna and the remaining guardians tried to wake him up.  But luck was not with them.  It was as if he had gone to a place, some far distant place, where nobody could reach him.   Not even her, and that was what scared her the most.  She wanted him by his side, always, as he said he would be.  What would she do if he went to that place again?

By the time they had reached the caverns, conversation had picked up a little.  Faith was wondering what was going on, but more than that, she was wondering why everyone was so sad.  But she didn't dare ask anyone.

Once inside the caverns, they reached a place where water submerged part of the trail_.  Are we going to go back? Faith thought to herself.  But then she realized that there was no going back.  Not for anyone, or anything._

"Looks like we got a job to do ya?"  Wakka said as he turned to the crowd.

"If anything happens down there in the water," Lulu began "were relying on you three.  If anything dangerous happens, pull out quick."

Wakka, Rikku, and Tidus jumped in the water and started to dive.  Right before Tidus submerged himself, he took one last look back to Yuna.  

"Be careful," she said.

Then the guardian turned around and dove into the black depths of the water.

As they waited on the trio to come back, Faith realized that she had the time to think about things, but more importantly, figure out things.  After a few minutes, she pulled Auron to the side.

"Why is everybody so depressed?"  Faith asked bluntly.

"Because we're nearing the end of our journey." He responded.  

"Well, shouldn't everybody be glad?" she asked.  "After all, you're about to beat Sin, am I right?"

"Yes."  Auron paused.  "But every happy ending requires a sacrifice."

Suddenly Faith felt as if she had started asking questions for answers she that really didn't want.  But it was too late now.

"What kind of sacrifice?"  Faith asked reluctantly.

The powerful man sighed and glanced away before uttering a single word that stuck out in Faith's mind for a long time.  "Yuna."

Suddenly it made a lot of sense.  All of the looks that Tidus gave her, all of the awkward silences, everything fell into place.  Everything that is, except Faith.

"Why?"  she responded, casually looking at the summoner.  "Why does she have to die?"  

"It's an age-old tradition.  A summoner must sacrifice herself in the final summoning in order to bring about the calm.  It's apart of the process."

"Is there any other way?" Faith responded.  "I'm sure there has to be."

"No." Auron said after a brief pause.  "Rikku and Tidus are trying to think of one, just as I did, ten years ago.  You see, this is my second pilgrimage.  I helped guard Lord Braska, Yuna's father, on his journey.  We also tried to think of something, but this is the only way."

Faith was about to say something else when a loud splash erupted behind her.  

"All set, we can pass now."  Wakka said as he led the trio out of the water.

"Any trouble?"  Lulu asked.

"Nah, nothin' we couldn't handle ya."

With that, the group began to move again, this time with Faith trailing.  She felt more down than she had since she arrived in this strange world.  She felt more alone.

When they had cleared the caverns, a strange feeling swept over Faith.  It was one that made the hairs on the back of her neck stand up.  Somehow, something inside of her had a feeling that some evil thing was coming.  

"It's here."  Auron said frigidly.

Then without warning, a massive dragon-looking creature dropped from the skies and let out a massive roar that chilled Faith to the bone.

"Stay behind us." Yuna whispered to her.  Not wanting to face the horror of the beast before her, Faith jumped back out of the way.

The Sanctuary Keeper let out another blood-curdling roar as the warriors got into a fighting position.   

Faith was awestruck by the way that everyone fought and maneuvered.  It was if all six of the fighters were not working as individuals, but as a larger, more fluid team.  It impressed her.  The battle ensued for ten minutes, and all the time it seemed that the combatants were in control.  That is until the beast did a tail sweep that struck everyone to the ground.  

In that one move, the Sanctuary Keeper had broken the organized unit into six scattered, panicking, individuals.

_Damn it, Tidus thought to himself.  Although cursing was out of character for him, he was too frustrated at the situation not to.  __We were so close too, he thought.  __I felt it.  He jumped out and slashed the monster again, hoping that his blow would be the fatal one.  But it was to no avail. __We're so close though._

Lulu could sense it as well.  She wanted to end it here and now, so she drew all of her magic power that was left and cast Ultima.  She too, like Tidus, hoped that her attack would be the one to kill the beast.  But when it didn't, she withdrew completely spent and dejected.

Faith felt completely useless. She had watched the battle intensely, but only to get a sense of worthlessness.  _Is there anything I can do? She thought to herself.  She had never seen a battle like this, so she felt extremely out of place.  _

When the battle broke open, she watched in horror as the fighters scrambled back and started to attack in desperation.  She saw Tidus attack ferociously; and then she watched Lulu cast the huge green ball of Ultima. _If only I could help, she thought again.  __If I could only do something like that._

Suddenly another blast of Ultima ripped open the sky.  The monster gave out another roar of pain as his body went limp against the white snow.  Faith watched in awe as the beast disintegrated into phases of light and spirits.

Auron, with his robe ripped open across his chest and blood dripping from his arm, jammed his sword down in the ground victoriously.

"That's how it's done."

"Yes!!  We did it!!'  Rikku exclaimed as she bounced up and down.

"Good job Lu." Wakka said as he turned to the black mage.  "What was that?  A double cast of Ultima or something?"

"I really," Lulu replied, not really sure how to continue.  "don't know."

"What do you mean?"  Tidus asked.  "You finished him off."

"No I didn't."  Lulu replied.  "I cast Ultima, but only once.  I was completely drained and had no way of doing it again."

"What are you talking about?" responded Tidus.

"Didn't you hear me clear enough?  I didn't do it.  Does somebody have a mime spell that I don't know about?"

Faith tried to slink in the back of the group.  She knew that she had cast that second blast of Ultima.  She didn't know how she knew, how she did it, or if she could do it again, but she knew that somehow it came from her.  _What is happening to me? she thought to herself._

"Uh, guys." She said hesitantly.  "I think I did it."

"Wha..?"  Wakka said.  Everyone else elicited little remarks of shock.  

"How?"  Lulu said sternly.

"I don't know.' Faith admitted.  "I just think, I feel, that I did it.  I don't know how."

"Are you a mage too?"  Yuna asked.

"A what?" Faith replied. "No, I don't think.  I just…" She sighed and looked down.

"It's ok."  Rikku assured her.  "Just take your time."

After a few seconds, Faith continued.  "I don't know how.  But I remember thinking 'I wished I could do something like that.' And then a few seconds later, it happened.  I don't know how, but that's all I know."

"Great."  Lulu said sarcastically.  "I've spent my whole life training to be a mage, and you just wished yourself to be one."  She paused again.  "That's just great."  With that, the dark warrior turned, and walked down the mountainside.

"Very interesting."  Auron said before turning to follow Lulu.

"Hey." Wakka said while putting his hand on her shoulder.  "Don't worry about it.  I'm just glad your on our side ya?"

As the group started the final decent, Faith just stood there, too stunned to move_.  But somehow, I did do this, she thought desperately.  But deep down, she was afraid.  She was afraid of herself.  She was afraid of what else she was capable of._

After a few minutes she followed the group but still kept her distance.  She really didn't want to be there_.  I just want to go home_, she thought.  _I want to forget all of this.  I want to be in my apartment, hanging out with my friends, playing video games, watching blitzball, and doing anything.  Anything but here.  I just want to go home_.

It was then that she turned the corner of the trail, only to see that everyone else had stopped.  They were staring forward.  They were staring at Zanarkand, her home.

For Tidus, he had the same feelings that Faith was having, but in different ways.  He wanted to go home too.  But sitting here, seeing Zanarkand in ruins, he realized that his home was here, now, with Yuna.  He looked at her for a long time.  And then he started to think.  

_A city lost, he thought.  __A city dead for a thousand years.  I had to see it with my own eyes to really believe it.  This is the end of my journey, he thought to himself.  _

_This is the last chapter of my story._

Rikku was the first to speak.

"Yuna.  I say no.  If we go down there, then you'll…"

There was that awkward silence that seems to fit perfectly now to Faith.  She really didn't want to be here.  She had a strange feeling that this was going to turn sad.  Really sad.  For once she forgot about her suffering and her sense of loss_.  Because Yuna's is greater, she thought. __ Far greater._

"Rikku, you're a true friend," the summoner said.   "And I thank you, but I must go, down to Zanarkand"

"I'm not saying you shouldn't go." Rikku responded.  "But shouldn't we think about it some more?  There's got to be some kind of way we can save you Yuna."

Tidus wanted to say something, but he was too ashamed to.  _I'm ashamed, because we didn't think of a way.  And now, it's too late.    _

"All my life, I knew this moment would come."  Yuna continued.  

"Yunie."  It was then that Yuna reached in, and hugged her longtime friend.

"Thank you, Rikku.  Thank you for everything."

"Don't say that Yunie.  It's not over yet."  

Faith had to glance away, because Rikku started to cry.  

"Tell Cid, 'thank you'."  Yuna said, still embracing her cousin.

"You can tell him yourself."  Rikku responded.

"Please," Yuna pleaded.

To Faith, that last word tugged at her emotions.  She didn't know who Cid was, but she knew it must have been somebody close.  She had to fight her own tears just thinking about what must be going through the summoner's mind.

"Yunie, don't say that."  Rikuu begged.  "Because were gonna see each other again, ok"

Finally, Yuna stepped back from her friend with tears in her own eyes.  But she would not be wavered.  

"Kimahri," she said slowly.  "Lets go"

With more effort than it should have taken, Tidus began to walk forward.  _There still has to be a way_, he thought.  Although something told him that those were just words of false hope.  It was then that he looked back at Faith.  _What about her?  She has some powers that we don't know about.  Can she do anything?_  He didn't know, but he was determined to find out.  As he slowed down to move himself to the back of the group where Faith was, he stepped on something.

"What?" he said as he looked down.  There, on the snow, glistening in the evening sun was a sphere.  The only person who saw it was himself and Faith.  He picked it up and looked at her, thinking.  _Do I let her listen to this? _He thought about that question for a moment.  _ I don't even know whose it is.  Do I trust her enough yet?_  In then end, he realized that it didn't really matter.

"What is that?" Faith asked hesitantly.

"It's a sphere, kind of like a voice recorder back home."  He replied

"Oh.  Well whose is it?" 

" I don't know, but I'm gonna find out.  Come over here."

Tidus motioned her over beside the cliff wall where he was.  As she walked over to where he was, the group continued down the path towards Zanarkand.  

_Well_, Tidus thought_, here we go_.  He pushed the play button and immediately he heard Yuna's sweet voice coming through.  At first, he wanted to turn it back off, because he felt guilty.  But natural curiosity overcame him, and both of the Zanarkand descendants listened quietly as the snow fell.

"Sir Auron" it started.  

For Faith, she really didn't want to listen, but she was unable to resist.  It was if she knew she was doing the wrong thing, but some part of her human psyche was too curious to just let it be.  _It was like reading intercepted love letters_, she thought.  _Or worse, hidden diaries.  _

"Kimarhi told me that when my father wanted me taken from Bevelle to Besaid, it was you who told Kimarhi, right?  I had always wanted to meet you some day.  I am truly glad that I had that chance. Having you as a guardian was so great an honor. I don't know how to thank you.  Perhaps, if I defeat Sin, that will be my thanks to you.  Perhaps that is what I will do.  Yes, I will challenge Sin; I will defeat Sin.  

"If you are all there watching this, I guess Sin is already gone, and so am I."

Faith felt even more uncomfortable.  It was if she was reading somebody's will, but that somebody wasn't dead yet.  It was that impending feeling of doom that she couldn't shake.  She took a glance towards Tidus, and then quickly looked back.  _I guess even hardcore blitzball players don't like to be caught leaking around the eyes_, she thought.

The sphere continued.

Yuna's voice gave out a brief sigh before continuing.  "Anyway, I just wanted to say Sir Auron, I thank you."

"Kimahri, do you remember the first day we met?   I was only seven, my father had defeated Sin and all of Bevelle was celebrating.  Everyone was saying what a hero my father was. I was so happy.  But when night came, it occurred to me.  My father had defeated Sin, and now he was dead.  Now I was all alone.  I couldn't sleep, so I wandered into the town, away from the celebrating clouds.  I stood on the bridge in Bevelle, where my father and I had parted.  Standing there, alone, I could see the fields where he had fought Sin. Then you appeared Kimahri."

"You said you were looking for the daughter of Braska.  At first I was so scared, until I realized what a gentle person you are."  

Then Yuna's voice laughed, however it wasn't a natural laugh to Faith.  It was one that sounded forced.  It's the kind of laugh that someone gives when they're sad inside, but something funny happens and it's expected to laugh.  It sounded strained.

"You weren't used to talking to children," the sphere continued.  "When I said that I was Braska's daughter, you said that you would take me as far from Bevelle as you could.  That it was the wish of a man facing death.  I think I cried then, because that was when I knew that my father was dead and I would never see him again.  You just held me.  Without saying a word.  I cried after we got to Besaid too. After you tried to go, after leaving me, there on the temple, I held on to you yelling 'don't go, don't, don't go' and you listened Kimahri."

"You stayed, Kimahri thank you.  Thank you so much.  And I've always liked your broken horn."

"Wakka Lulu, I'll never forget my days with you, growing up in Besaid.  We always were together, us and Chappu.  That's why I was always so happy I think.  And when you refused to let me become a summoner, and I did it anyway, I'm sorry.  I've always wanted to apologize.  You know when you tried to stop me then, I was happy.  I could tell that you cared about me.  You were like my big brother and sister.  No."

There was a brief pause.  "I think you really were my big brother and sister."

"What else?  I love watching you play blitzball Wakka. I even love it when you scold me Lulu.  Really"

"I guess that leaves the newest guardian, star player of the Zanarkand Abes."

Faith looked at Tidus.  "You want me to go?" she asked.  Deep down, she hoped he would say 'yes.'  But after a few moments, he just shook his head no.  

The sphere continued.

" You, I am."  Yuna seemed to pause, as if unsure what to say next.

"Well…Um…I'm glad."  There was another pause.  "I'm glad that we met. We haven't even known each other that long, but its funny…"

"So this is what if feels like.  It's a much more wonderful feeling than anything I had ever imagined.  Wonderful.  But it hurts sometimes...hmmm.mmmm"

"I wonder. I just want to say, thank you for everything.  Maybe, that's why it hurts, when I think about us never being together again at all."

"I'm afraid."

Faith wanted to turn away and run.  She didn't want to be apart of this.  To her, it seemed as if it was a death trip that she was caught up in.  She didn't really know Yuna.  Actually, she really didn't know any of them.  But she felt as if it was cruel for this to happen to anyone.  And it was wrong for the two of them to be listening to this sphere.  

" No I shouldn't say that," Yuna's voice continued.  "I'll do that part over." 

Then Tidus' voice came from the sphere, but it seemed as if it was coming from a distance.  It sounded like it came from behind her somehow.

"Whatcha up to?" it said.

Then there was a click as the sphere cut itself off.

The two figures stood there in the snow, too shocked to move, and too stunned to say anything to each other.  After a few minutes, Faith stepped over, and hugged Tidus as he tried to hold back tears.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Author's notes.

1—The characters, places, events referred to, etc., are copyrighted by Squaresoft.  

2—This story however is created by me.

3—Faith is my character, don't use her in any way she wouldn't appreciate.

4—Sorry kids, this chapter was way too long.  I'll trim them up in the future.

5—Any comments, complaints, advice, bashings, etc., hit me at rune_paradigm@yahoo.com, or just put it in a review.

6—FFX rocks.  Introduce this game to somebody and watch their GPA drop.


	5. Untold Emotions

Untold Emotions

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Is this the end

For us my friend?

--The end, Creed

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

__

So this is it.

The young blitzball star and the redheaded girl from a thousand years ago finally joined up with the others. The rest of the group had already been here a while, wondering where Tidus and Faith had disappeared to. Once they had thought about going back. If they did, that would have detrimental to Yuna if she found them listening to her sphere. All of her thank you's, her last wishes, and all of her thoughts were on there. It would have broken her heart to see Tidus and Faith listening to it before anyone was supposed to. Not that they didn't feel bad enough already. 

As they regrouped, it appeared that nobody really cared that much about going forward. Either that or something else was on all of their minds. Everyone had built a campfire, and was sitting around it disheartened from the journey. 

Yuna flashed a look to Tidus as the two made their way back to camp. It was a look that asked _Where have you been?_ Tidus only answered that look by smiling at her, sitting next to her, and reaching out and holding her hand. 

__

I don't care anymore, he thought solemnly. _I don't care what Wakka and Lulu think. After all, we are together. And after all, we can't be together for much longer_. 

Faith sat down between Rikku and Wakka. Not really because of preference, but because that was where the most space was. But she was glad. Those were the two people that she felt the most at ease around. Granted, she had only been with the group for the better part of a day, but still she felt more openness and friendship from Wakka and Rikku than she did from Auron or Kimahri.

__

Nobody wants to go, Faith thought bitterly after a while. _Nobody wants to be the one who says Hey Yuna, lets go. Let's go get Sin, so you can die afterwards.' No_, she thought, _nobody wants this to happen_. 

It was a long time before anyone said anything. 

Tidus couldn't just take it anymore. Without warning, he stood up and looked around the campfire at the dejected warriors. The last part of the evening sun was starting to draw out from the sky. This warm, low light really showed the effects the journey had on everyone's faces. In this light, everyone looked a few years older than they did at the start of the pilgrimage. In this light, everyone looked as if they had aged drastically. 

Tidus placed his hand on Yuna's shoulder. 

She turned her head up and looked him in the eyes. _Even in this light_, he thought_. Even after all we've been through, she still looks beautiful. _It was then that he knew he loved her. 

He removed his hand as he walked behind everyone. Tidus turned to face the fallen city that was once his home. _It doesn't even look like home anymore_, he thought. _It looks like a graveyard_. He stepped up on the mound of rubble to get a better look. At one point he almost fell, but then after a brief mental debate he caught himself. At first there was a hesitation to. _I could end it here_, he thought. _I could fall, and end it. After all, I don't have much longer either._

But that moment of hesitation passed as he thought about Yuna. _I want to be with her as long as I can, even all the way to the end. _

Tidus now stared at the ruins.

"Listen to my story." He said suddenly and morbidly.

"This may be our last chance."

He then started to talk, filling in on every detail of his journey. For some reason, it seemed a little strange to Faith. But somehow, it seemed to fit. It was then, in his recital of his life in Spira, that Faith understood everything. All the missing facts that eluded her, people she had heard about in conversations, what an aon is, everything. She also felt more connected to everyone, and more traumatized by what was about to happen.

They talked until 5:00 that morning.

It was Yuna who finally stopped him. _Nobody else would_, Faith thought afterward. 

"I think," she started.

"Yes?" Tidus asked.

"I think we should stop." She paused. "Maybe, for now."

There was a hesitation as nobody was sure what to do next. 

"Let's go." Yuna exclaimed.

The warriors solemnly raised up and started off to the Zanarkand dome. 

"Woah." Wakka said as they started along the rocky path. "It looks like the Farplane."

"Close enough" Auron replied as the fighters continued moving. 

All along the way, there were various fiend attacks. Some were easy to handle, such as the machina. Rikku always had a talent for disabling those things, and she came in handy more than once. However she wasn't quite her cheerful and perky self. _Nobody is_, Faith thought. _Nobody's talking to each other. Nobody wants this to be the end. _For a moment, she thought about Yuna. _There had to be another way, wasn't there_? She hesitated for a second, thinking _I sound a lot like Tidus now._

Faith was completely unprepared for what happened next.

Just randomly along the path to the final summoning, a man appeared out of nowhere. However, it seemed like an everyday occurrence to everyone else. The man then spoke.

"Journeyer of the long road, name yourself" the old man demanded.

"I am the summoner Yuna. I have come from the island of Besaid."

"Your eyes my dear," the man replied. "They have shown me the long road you have traveled. Very good. You have journeyed well. Lady Yunalesca will surely welcome your arrival. Go to her now, and bring your guardians with you. Go."

And with that being said, the old man disappeared as innocently as he appeared.

When they reached a point in the crossroads, something happened that shocked Faith even more and made Rikku jump back in surprise. 

It was a ghost that passed directly through the group.

"If it might be benefit the future of Spira, I would gladly give my life," the dead spirit began. "It is the highest honor a guardian might ask. Use my life Lady Yocun, and rid Spira of Sin."

"Wha—what was that??" Rikku asked nervously. 

"Our predecessors." Auron replied.

"She said Lady Yocun, didn't she?" Lulu asked. "Wait. She guarded high summoner Yocun?"

"This dome is filled with pyreflies." Auron said in his natural cool and collective way. "In this gigantic sphere, people's thoughts remain here, forever." 

A few minutes later, the group was visited by two more ghosts from the past.

"No mother." The transparent young kid exclaimed. "I don't want you to become a Fayth."

"There is no other way." The other figure replied. "Use me and defeat Sin. Only then, will the people accept you."

The kid, obviously in tears, cried out "I don't care about them. I need you mother!! You and no one else."

"I don't have any other way."

"Woah, hey wasn't that" Wakka began.

"Seymour?!?!?" Rikku exclaimed.

Faith was confused and awestruck by what was going on here. However the group continued on in the mist of spirits from another time.

"Uhhh" Tidus suddenly moaned out from behind.

They were almost at the cloister of trials when the other three spirits appeared. Faith turned around to see what Tidus had saw. _Jecht??_ her mind raced. Sure enough, the once blitzball hero was standing there before her. _So he really was here!!_ There were two other men with him, and one of them looked strangely familiar. 

"Hey Braska." Jecht said. "You don't have to do this."

"Thank you for your concern." The other man said in a warm tone.

"Fine. I said my peace." The former blitzball player replied.

"We'll I haven't." the man dressed in red exclaimed. It was then that Faith recognized who the other man was_. Auron. Wow, he looks really young. Wait_, her mind wondered. _If his thoughts and spirit is here, now, wouldn't that mean that Auron is_

She suddenly looked at the powerful man and she knew, right then, that Auron was dead.

"Lord Braska, the young version of Auron said. "Let us go back. I don't want to see you"

There was a pause.

"die."

"You knew this was to happen my friend."

"Yes, but I" he paused again while looking down. "I cannot accept it.

"Auron, I am honored that you care for me so. But I have come to kill grief itself. I will defeat Sin, and lift the vial of sorrow covering Spria. Please understand Auron.

__

Wow, Tidus thought to himself. _The old monk wasn't kidding when he said I reminded him of himself. I'm practically saying the same things now to Yuna_. An unsettling emotion hit Tidus in the stomach for a moment. _Yeah_, he then thought, _and were both coming up with the same answers._

"Are the trials ahead?" Jecht asked.

"Probably," Auron replied.

"Here too, huh, gimme a break. I was expecting you know, parades and fireworks."

"You can ask for them when I defeat Sin." Braska replied.

With that, the three figures disappeared. 

"The trials?" Faith asked.

"Mind-boggling puzzles that lead to the chamber of the Fayth." Rikku answered.

Tidus flashed a look to his girl. "You ready Yuna?"

"Hmm-mmm" she replied. She really wasn't ready, but she is strong and is determined to get through this.

"All right everyone," Tidus said as he took a step to follow the spirit of his dad. "Let's do this."

With that, everyone followed his lead into the most difficult cloister of trials they have ever faced.

To Faith, it truly was mind-boggling. Looking for patterns in shapes and stepping on corresponding pieces of floor. _Whatever lies beyond must be holy,_ she thought to herself. _For something to be this protected must hold the secrets of defeating Sin._ She looked around the ancient corridor as the warriors tried to unlock the chamber of the Fayth. The amount of concentration on everyone's faces equaled the amount of determination in their hearts.

When the last sphere was placed into the pedestal the entire room shook as an unearthly cry came from the next area. The fighters looked at each other and started to pull out their weapons and prepare for battle. Another roar came as the fighters hurried into the next room where the Spectral Keeper awaited them. 

The battle was intense. Tidus continually was repositioning the combatants so that Auron was always the center of the beast's attention. This allowed everyone else to attack at will without fear of a counterattack. Faith was amazed at Auron's strength and skills. His attacks were fluid and the result of lots of training. But maybe she was more amazed by his endurance and the ability to take the full blunt of the Spectral Keeper's attacks. 

However, after a few minutes into the fight, the monster attacked Auron, and the monk fell to his knees with his large sword falling out of his grasp. The monster bashed him again and Auron's body went limp. 

"Auron!!" Rikku yelled. "Are you ok?"

But there was no answer from the silent body. It was then that the great monster shifted and turned its attention to the rest of the group. Fear struck Faith as the great beast looked directly into her eyes and gave another roar. 

"Auron!!" Rikku screamed again. 

The monster lashed out and Tidus took the attack directly into the chest. 

Faith somehow found her words. She turned to Rikku and asked, "How can I help?"

Without really thinking, Rikku passed her a bottle of a purplish liquid. "Take this to Auron. Hurryyy!!"

Faith took the bottle, looking at it uncertainly, and turned back towards the fallen friend. By then, the Spectral Keeper had turned to the right, focusing its powers on Kimahri and Yuna as Tidus slashed at its right side. With her heart pounding quickly in her chest, she walked hurriedly towards the figure lying on the ground. At one point, Faith was five feet from the backside of the monster she was so afraid of. She found herself trembling, almost so much that she was afraid she would drop the bottle on the ground. Just the thought of the crashing sound causing this large creature to turn around was enough to make her want to turn back and run towards Rikku.

__

No, I can't. She thought to herself. _Auron needs my help. _Somewhere, deep down inside her soul, she found the strength to keep walking. When she got to the seemingly dead body, she was almost too amazed to move. Auron looked bad. Blood from a large gash on his shoulder run down his body, forming a pool of crimson around him. Numbed by shock, Faith's mind and body moved slowly. _What do I do with this? How do I get him to drink it?_ Feeling ignorant, she opened the bottle and sprinkled it over the body.

Tidus was getting pissed. _When is this thing going to die_? he thought desperately. During one of his attacks he looked up and saw Faith, creeping ever so slightly behind the beast. He could feel the fear coming from her body. _What's she doing_? he thought. He then looked at her again and realized the she had a Phoenix Down. _Wow_, he thought. _I hope she gets to Auron in time. _Then Tidus had an idea.

"Hey." Tidus yelled. "Hey, you big ugly."

The monster paused its attack and looked at the young fighter.

"Hey." He said again, this time waving his arms. "Show me what you got!" Tidus was just hoping that he could distract the monster enough for Faith to help Auron. "Hey!!"

Suddenly the Spectral Keeper lashed out and flung Tidus across the room like a rag doll. His world slowly faded to black.

When he came to, he felt this aching in his side and tasted blood in his mouth. He tried to look around but the pain in his neck wouldn't allow it. He forcefully propped himself up and didn't like what he saw. 

Wakka and Lulu were attacking the monster, but it didn't look pretty. Then the Spectral Keeper roared and raised both of his hands in order to do a move that would finish the little party off. It was then that a man seemingly fell out of the sky. His red robe and raven hair were flying backwards against the wind and his eyes, although you could barely see them above his glasses, were locked in a fierce look of determination. In his hands was a sword larger than a man.

Auron buried his Mansamme into the neck of the monster as he came down. The beast gave another roar, and then fell lifelessly to the ground.

"Woa-woah." Wakka said as he raised up on one knee. "That was one bad finishing move Auron."

"Hmph." The now refreshed fighter replied. "Is everyone ok?"

"I think so," Tidus said. "Everyone?"

After small nods of affirmation, it seemed everyone was going to be alive to fight another day.

"Yuna," Auron said as he turned to the summoner. "Are you ready?"

"Yes, I believe so," she said shallowly.

She then took a deep breath and stepped on the glowing platform that would lead her to Sin's, and ultimately, her demise. As she stepped off the ledge she glanced back at Tidus. Their eyes locked as she rode the platform all the way down. They looked at each other until the she couldn't see him anymore, and then closed her eyes, hoping to burn that image into her mind for the rest of her brief life. 

Tidus' heart sank when he heard the slam of the platform down below. He couldn't help but tell himself that maybe that was the last time he was ever going to see her. 

It was a total surprise to him when he heard Yuna yell back to the group.

"Everyone, get down here!"

Then, seemingly out of nowhere, came Jecht's voice from the past.

"What do ya mean there's no final Aeon???"

~~~~~~~~~~~

Author's notes.

1—The characters, places, events referred to, etc., are copyrighted by Squaresoft. 

2—This story however is created by me.

3—Faith is my character, don't use her in any way she wouldn't appreciate.

4—Yeah I know, it's been a while. I've been way too busy to do this chapter lately. But I promise the next one will be soon.

5—Any comments, complaints, advice, bashings, etc., hit me at rune_paradigm@yahoo.com, or just put it in a review.

6—FFX rocks. Introduce this game to somebody and watch their GPA drop


	6. The Journey Comes To A Close

                       Life it seems, will fade away

                       Drifting further every day

                       Getting lost within myself

                       Nothing matters no one else

                       I have lost the will to live

                       Simply nothing more to give

                       There is nothing more for me

                       Need the end to set me free

                       Things are not what they used to be

                       Missing one inside of me

                       Deathly lost, this can't be real

                       Cannot stand this hell I feel

                       Emptiness is filing me

                       To the point of agony

                       Growing darkness taking dawn

                       I was me, but now He's gone

                       No one but me can save myself, but its too late

                       Now I can't think, think why I should even try

                       Yesterday seems as though it never existed

                       Death greets me warm, now I will just say good-bye 

Metallica

                       Title: Fade To Black

                       Album: Ride The Lightning

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"This isn't a Fayth.  Just an empty statue."

Yuna looked pale as she studied the ground where the remnants of the Fayth stood.  The others soon joined her and seemed to be equally fascinated.  Everyone that is except Auron, who seemed to know that this was coming.

Then the mysterious old man appeared behind Yuna again.  His pyreflies and trails of light illuminated his presence as he spoke.  "That statue lost its power as a Fayth long ago.  It is lord Zaeon, the first Fayth of the final summoning.  What you see before you is all that remains of him.  Lord Zaeon is, his soul is gone."

"Gone?" Wakka asked.

"You mean, there is no final Aeon," Rikku pleaded.

"But fear not," the old man continued.  "Lady Yunalesca will show you the path.  The final Aeon will be yours.  A summoner and the final Aeon will join powers.  Go to her now.  Inside, the lady awaits."

There was a moment's hesitation before Yuna took a step towards the chamber of the dead summoner.

"Yuna wait." Tidus exclaimed.  She stopped and turned as he pointed his finger at Auron.  "Auron, you knew this was going to happen, didn't you?" 

"Yes I did."

"Why didn't you tell us?" Rikku asked.

"If I had told you the truth, would that still have stopped you from coming?" Auron replied.

His sharp reply took Tidus off guard.

"Yuna," Kimahri said.

"I'm not going back"

"Kimahri knows.  Kimahri go first.  Yuna safe; Kimahri protect."

"Ah.  Someone's coming" Rikku said.

"Lady Yunalesca."  Yuna breathed.  

"Welcome" Yunalesca said.

Faith was surprised by the figure she saw before her.  She expected a normal, humble, and comforting summoner.  But what she saw was a scantily clad lady, who didn't remind her of how a summoner should look or act at all, completely surrounded by pyrefiles.

"I congratulate you.  You have completed you're pilgrimage.  I will now bestow you will that which you seek."

"The final summoning will be yours.  Now, choose."

"Hmm?"  Yuna replied.  

"You must choose the one that I must change.  The one that will become the Fayth of the final summoning"

Faith gasped as the realization of what was happening hit her.  The stunned silence was so thick in the air that Faith thought she could choke on it.

"There must be a bond" the long since dead summoner continued. "Between the summoner and the chosen.  Because that is what the final summoning is about.  The bond between husband and wife, mother and child, brother and sister, and friends.  If that bond is strong enough, that bond will conquer sin."

"1000 years ago, I chose my husband Zaeon as my Fayth.  Our bond was true, and I obtained the final Aeon.  There is nothing to fear.  You will soon be freed of worry and pain.  For when you call forth the final Aeon, your life will end.  Death is the ultimate and final liberation.  You're father, Braska chose this path."  

The three familiar figures or Braska, Jecht, and Auron appeared out of a residue of pyreflies.

"Its not too late, let us turn back" Auron pleaded with Braska.

"If I turn back, who will defeat Sin?"  There was a look of steel determination in his eyes that gave Faith a chill.  "Will you have some other summoner and his guardians to go through this?"

"But, my lord.  There must be another way."

Suddenly Jecht spoke up.  "This is the only way we've got now."

"Fine," he continued.  "Make me the Fayth.  I've been doing some thinking.  My dream is back in the other Zanarkand.  I wanted to make that runt into a star blitz player.  Show him the view from the top, you know.  But know I now there's no way out for me.  I'm never going to see him again.  My dreams never going to come through.  So make me the Fayth.  I will fight Sin with ya Braska.  Then maybe my life will have meaning, you know?" 

"Don't do this Jecht."  Auron was still obviously going to press his case.  And the more he did, the more Tidus grew uncomfortable.  His ramblings echoed what he was feeling deep inside.  But the thing that really shook him up was the willingness of Jecht to become the Fayth.  _I'm never going to see him again._  Those words rang hollowly in Tidus' head.  _So my old man wanted to get back to Zanarkand too, _he thought_.  But not for the glory of Blitz, or the screams of a frenzied crowd, not even for my mom, but for me._  That deep-seeded feeling of coldness washed over him again.  At first it was just in his stomach, but then it came over him completely.  He had to step back in order to avoid going lightheaded and stumbling.  He has been getting this feeling a lot lately about his old man.  Its called regret.

"If you live," the young Auron continued.   "There may be another way. Well think of something, I know."  

_Those are hollow words_, Tidus thought to himself.  __

"Believe me I thought this through."  Jecht continued.  "And, I ain't getting any younger so I may as well make myself useful."

"Jecht" Braska said suddenly.

"You're not going to try and stop me too?"

"Sorry," Braska replied.  "I mean thank you."

"Braska still has to fight Sin Auron, guard him well.  Make sure he gets there."

With that, Jecht turned to face the cave-like opening to the next chamber.  "Well, let's go."

"Lord Braska, Jecht." Auron said again.  Tidus could feel a hint of desperation in his voice.

"What do you want now?" Jecht replied.

"Sin always comes back after the time every time.  The cycle will continue and you're deaths will mean nothing."

"But there's always a chance that it wont come back this time." Braska said.  "Its worth a try."

Jecht turned around to face his friend for the last time.  "I understand what you're saying Auron.  I will find a way to break the cycle."

"You, have a plan?" Auron asked.

"Jecht?" Braska said quizzically.

"Trust me, I'll think of something.

And then he busted out laughing and it echoed off of the chamber walls.

It was then that the most unexpected thing on the entire pilgrimage occurred:  Auron.  The experienced warrior took his massive sword and swung angrily at the ghost of his past for about five minutes.  Everyone else looked on, some even taking a step back.  This was not in Auron's character.  Nor was it anything anybody expected.  Even Faith was afraid that he might throw his head back in a roar, attack something else in a fit of rage, or maybe, just maybe, an attempted suicide.

But in the end, Auron just slouched on one knee with his big sword out in front of him.  Its sharp end was buried about six inches in the cold steel beneath his slumped body.  For a few minutes he wouldn't say anything, or even open his eyes.  But then he murmured just one phrase and got up, completely composed.

"And the cycle went on."

"Well break it" Tidus said hesitantly.  He, too, was startled by the sudden outrage, and didn't really step forward.

"But how?  You got a plan now?" Wakka asked.

"If one of us has to become a Fayth," Lulu started.  "I volunteer."

"Me too Yuna" Wakka said.

"That still won't change anything though."  Tidus blurted.  "You'll bring the calm, and then what?  It won't break the cycle."  There was a familiar sound to those words.  Tidus inadvertently looked at Auron, who only returned a cold but understanding gaze.

"You want to beat Sin and keep Yuna alive," Wakka began.   "And you don't want it to come back."  He shook his head in frustration.  "That just not going to happen you know."

"You want everything, and you get nothing" Lulu added.

"But I want everything!" Tidus yelled back.

"Now you're being childish," Wakka replied.  

"I give up."  Tidus threw his hands in the hair before pointing a finger at Wakka.  "So what would an adult do then?  They know they can just throw away a summoner, and then they can do whatever they like."

"You're right. I might not even have a chance."  He followed.  "But now way am I just going to stand here and let Yuna go.  What Auron said about there being another way, I think its true."

"You'll think of something," Rikku said, with a mixture of sarcasm and sadness.

Tidus thought about replying harshly: _I haven't seen you think of anything yet._  But he decided against it.  He took a breath, and then said: "I will go ask Yunalesca.  She has to know something."

"You really think that they will help you?"

"I don't know, but I have to try."  There was that hint of desperation.  Except this time it was his words and not Auron's.  "This is my story, it'll go the way I want it to, or I'll end it here."  

"Wait." Yuna said.

"You say its your story, but its my story too you know.  It would be so easy to let my fate just carry me away.  Along the same path.  But I know I can't."

"What I do, I do with no regrets."

And with that, she started walking to the chamber of the dead summoner.

"Have you chosen the one to become you're Fayth?" was Yunalesca's greeting.  "Who will it be?"

"Might I ask something first?  Will Sin come back even should I use the final Aeon?"

"Sin is eternal.  Every Aeon that defeats it becomes sin in its place.   Thus is sin reborn."

So that's why Jecht became Sin." Tidus thought aloud.  Again, that cold feeling of regret touched his stomach.  This time, Tidus fought against it.

"It is an inevitable part of Spira history, it is never-ending."  

"Never ending?"  Wakka exclaimed, dumbfounded.  "But if we atone for our crime, Sin will stop coming back ya?  Someday it will be gone, ya?"

"Will humanity ever attain such purity?"

"This, this cannot be!!" Lulu screamed.   "The teachings state that we can exorcize sin with complete atonement.  It's been our only hope all these years."  Her speech was rushed and shaky.  Lulu was starting to get pissed off.

"Hope, it allows us to accept fate, no matter how tragic it is."  Yunalesca replied with her cold and unchanging tone.

"No!!"  Tidus and Auron both yelled at once.  Except it was quite Auron's voice.  It sounded younger.  Tidus turned to see both Aurons standing side-by-side.  Suddenly, the younger one bolted forward and raised his weapon.

"Where is the sense in all of this?" he started.  "Braska believed in Yevon's teachings and died for them.  Jecht believed in Braska and gave his life for him.

"They chose to die because they had hope" came her reply.

With that, Auron pointed his sword forward and ran recklessly towards the form of Yunalesca.  It was then that a blast of magic came out and knocked Auron to the ground.  He lay there, body stiff and blood starting to pool up around him..  It was then, that Tidus knew that his lifelong mentor was in fact, dead.  

"Yevon's teaching of the final summoning give the people of Spira hope," Yunalesca continued.  "Without hope, they would drown in their sorrow.  Now choose, who will be your Fayth.  Who will be the one to renew Spira's hope?

Silence.

With a shaky voice, but a fierce resolve, Yuna looked Yunalesca straight in the eyes and said "No one."

"I would have gladly died.  I love the people of Spira and would have gladly died for them.  But no more.  The final summoning, it is a dead tradition that should be thrown away."

"No."  Yunalesca replied.  "It is our only hope.  Your father sacrificed himself to give that hope to the people.  So they could forget sorrow."

"Your wrong.  My father," Yuna paused to look down.  She tried to hold back the hot tears brought on by the memories of her father.  "My father wanted to make Spira's sorrow go away, and not just cover it up with lies."  

"Sorrow cannot be abolished.  It is meaningless to try."  

"My father, I loved him .  So I will live with my sorrow.  I will live my own life.  I will defeat sorrow.  I will stand my ground and be strong.  I don't know when it will be, but someday, I promise.  And I will do it without false hope."

Faith was stunned speechless.  

She knew Yuna was strong, but she could have never guessed she would be this determined.  She almost had to hold back tears of her own.

"Poor creature.  You would throw away hope?"  Suddenly, Yunalesca's voice changed.  For the first time she spoke with emotion and authority.

"Well I will free you before you drown in your own sorrow.  It is better to die in hope, than to live in despair."

"Let me be your liberator."

Tidus knew, somehow, that somebody was going to die.  He drew his sword so that he could be certain that it wasn't going to be Yuna.

Suddenly the chamber began to shake.

"Now."  Auron's voice boomed from behind the others.  "This is it.  Now is the time to shape your stories.  Die and be free of pain, or live and fight your sorrow.  Your fate is in your hands."  

"Yuna needs Kimahri." The Ronso said.  "Kimahri protect Yuna."

"Well I'm fighting" Rikku yelled over the noise of the rumbling.

"I can't believe were going to fight Lady Yunalesca." Wakka murmured to himself.  "Gimme a break"

"You can always run."  Lulu answered.

"Nah, I'd never forgive myself" he replied after a brief hesitation.  "Not if I ran away now.  Even in death ya?"

"My thoughts exactly."

"I know now that I can never go home," Faith said aloud.  "And even if I could, I wouldn't feel right about it unless I helped you guys fix what's wrong here."

"Yuna" Tidus said as he turned to look at her, gazing directly into her blue and green eyes.  "This is our story.  Now lets see this thing through together."

The battle erupted quickly.  Everybody took their positions and jumped on the offensive. Tidus and Auron jumped on the front line, eager to take out revenge and frustration.  Faith, although not exactly sure why, joined the two.  Yuna and Lulu formed a back line due to the distance that their magic can travel.  Rikku and Wakka protected the group on the sides with Kimahri watching the flank.  Together they formed an impenetrable force.

_I don't know what's happening to me,_ Faith thought to herself.  _I don't even know why I'm able to do the things I can do.  I just want to help all I can._

Auron went in first.  He slashed twice across her abdomen and then whirled around for a third shot before getting out of the way.  With the first two hits he let out a small groan, with the last one turning into a roar of rage.

_He's doing now what he intended to do all those years ago_, Tidus thought.

As soon as Auron got out of the way Tidus went in and slashed at her right side.  However, she counterattacked with an ice spell that knocked him off of his feet.  Yuna quickly healed him and casted protect on him as well.

And this was how the battle started.

At one point, Kimahri surprised everyone by flanking her and driving his spear in the back of her head.

That was when the battle turned.  

Obviously, Yunalesca didn't like that.  Because shortly thereafter she summoned multiple tentacles to come out of the ground and strike everyone in the party.  Faith had no idea what had hit her.  All she knew is that she couldn't stop herself.  One moment she was attacking Yunalesca, and then the next she was sending an ice spell on Rikku.  She couldn't control her thoughts or her actions.  _What's happening to me?!?!_, she thought desperately.  She was casting spells that she didn't know how to cast, even spells she had never seen before.  Everything was rushing before her eyes at a speed she could not comprehend.

Then she looked up and saw Auron looking straight at her.  Without warning he raised his shine jug, and smacked her on the hip with it.  At first she was mad at him, and then she realized that her world had turned back to normal.   _Oh_, she thought.  _So that's what its like to have the status effect confuse._

As she looked back up she saw Wakka's Triple Threat wiz by her head and strike Yunalesca.  It was then that she turned into a form so evil and hideous Faith had to look away for a moment.  When she looked back, she could plainly see Yunalesca's head, with serpent hair and the smell of death coming from her mouth.  Faith blasted her with Ultima.

When the battle was over, it wasn't anything fancy or dramatic.  Auron just rushed the form, took four quick swipes and what was left of Yunalesca began to phase into spirits and beams of light.

"Hmmph."  Auron grunted as he pulled his sword out and flung it across his back.

Although he didn't say it, Tidus could tell that Auron exorcized a demon from his past.

It took a long time for the group to exit Zanarkand dome.  Everyone moped and drug their feet.  It seemed as if nobody knew what they were doing anymore, or where to go from here.  Everyone needed direction.  Right before Tidus exited the dome he heard Auron's voice say "Come over here."

He turned around to see the monk stanking next to the wall gazing off to the right.  This time, Tidus knew what he was going to say.  But it didn't make it an easier pill to swallow.

Faith turned around right before the door leading outside.  She looked back and saw Tidus and Auron conversing.  _Hmmm…..I wonder what that is about_? she thought to herself.  And then she saw Auron disappear right before her eyes.  _Wow.  So I was right.  He's been dead all this time._  Her mind started to drift.  First to Auron, wondering what it was like to be dead for over ten years.  Then her mind drifted to Tidus.  She wondered what it was like to find out that the person you looked up to the most, was dead all this time.  She wondered more about Tidus.  _What, exactly, is his relationship with Yuna anyway? _ When she first arrived in Spira, they appeared to be nothing more but friends who seemed to be attracted to each other.  But lately, there seems to be more to it.  Especially during Tidus' recital of his life in Spira.  It seemed as if most of his story revolved around her.  _So how is this story going to end?_  She took another glance back at Tidus.  This time Auron had reappeared, or whatever he does, and they were just talking.  And then her glance turned into a look, maybe even one of those looks that resembled the look Tidus gave her back when she first arrived in Spira.  The look that says _"I'm checking you out."_

_No_, she scolded herself.  _I'm not going to step between Tidus and Yuna.  They seem way too into each other.  Besides, Yuna doesn't have much time left._  And then she stopped herself.  _Or does she?_  Again, that feeling of being without direction struck her.  _What do we do now?_  Faith yawned while pondering that question to herself.  It was then that she realized how exhausted she is.  She has been fighting fiends, traveling through the snow, and listening to Tidus' story for _Oh my_, she thought to herself.  _I've been here for about 24 hours.  That's why I'm so fatigued_.

The late morning sun was shining through the door to Zanarkand dome, beckoning her to come out.  She stepped through into the morning warmth.  She saw Rikku and Wakka in front of her staring to the right. 

"Hey guys." 

No response.

"Wakka?"

It was then that she turned to see what the two were looking at.  _Oh My God_, she thought in awestruck.

_Sin_.

It took her a long time to think, or even move.  She was repulsed by it, but at the same time, she couldn't take her eyes off of it.  There was some sort of mystic power there, and also, some sort of familiarity.   

_Sin_, her mind said again.

"The Final Aeon is gone."  Tidus' voice startled her and made her jump.  "But I promise, we'll find a way."

With that, the great entity known as Sin, turned away slowly and disappeared into the water.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Author's notes:

1—Hoo-boy, it's been a while.  I bet everyone has forgotten about me.  I went home for the summer and didn't have any computer access.  That's what happens

when you go back to the boone docks.  People get this really puzzled look on their faces when you say "Microsoft Word."

2—The characters, places, events referred to, etc., are copyrighted by Squaresoft.  

3—This story however is created by me.

4—Faith is my character; don't use her in any way she wouldn't appreciate.

5—Hopefully, you won't have to wait three months for your next chapter.  Maybe a week, but no promises.

6—Any comments, complaints, advice, bashings, etc., hit me at rune_paradigm@yahoo.com, or just put it in a review.

7—FFX rocks.  Introduce this game to somebody and watch their GPA drop.


	7. The Final Battle

I kept the right ones out
    
    And let the wrong ones in
    
    Had an angel of mercy 
    
    To see me through all my sins
    
    There were times in my life
    
    When I was goin' insane
    
    Tryin' to walk through the pain
    
    And when I lost my grip
    
    And I hit the floor
    
    Yeah, I thought I could leave
    
    But couldn't get out the door 
    
    I was so sick n' tired
    
    Of livin' a lie
    
    I was wishing that I would die
    
    It's amazing
    
    With the blink of an eye
    
    You finally see the light
    
    It's amazing
    
    That when the moment arrives
    
    You know you'll be all right
    
    It's amazing
    
    And I'm saying a prayer
    
    To the desperate hearts tonight
    
    That one last shot's a Permanent Vacation
    
    And a how high can you fly with broken wings
    
    Life's a journey - not a destination
    
    And I just can't tell just what tomorrow brings
    
    You have to learn to crawl
    
    Before you learn to walk
    
    But I just couldn't listen 
    
    To all that righteous talk
    
    I was out on the street
    
    Just tryin' to survive
    
    Scratchin' to stay alive
    
    Amazing
    
    Aerosmith

--------------------------------------------

A soft moan filled the chamber, followed by deep silence.

"Hmmm.  Huh?"

"Where am I?"

Faith had just emerged from a deep sleep that refreshed her to the soul.  She stirred around in her bed as she tried to get her bearings.  At first she expected to be back at home, in her apartment, recovering from some very weird dream.  When her senses told her that something was amiss, she began to think that maybe she was visiting her parents in her hometown.  _No that isn't it either_, she thought to herself.  Only then did she realize that she was in a spare bed, in an airship, probably hundreds of feet off of the ground, in some strange and mystical world.  

Her memories from yesterday came rushing back to her as she rose up.  After the battle with Yunalesca, the group boarded the airship.  After brief introductions and an explanation from some guy named Cid, she asked if she could be excused.  

"Sure thing." Cid had replied.  "You all look a little hairy.  I think you all need to sleep for at least a few days."

"We're fine dad" Rikku said.  However, it wasn't five seconds after that when she let out a little yawn herself.  

"Fine indeed, huh?"

"Ok," Rikku replied "Maybe an insy-bit tired."

"We rest here." Auron said.  "That is, if its ok with Cid."

"Sure as Hell it is." Cid replied.  Faith liked Cid.  He reminded her of one of her uncles from her dad's side of the family.  _They both act and talk like there from the south_, she mused to herself.  

"You can find some spare rooms and beds down that hallway there.  Rest up, and come and see me when you're ready to go again."

With that, everyone dispersed and headed drearily in the direction that Cid had pointed.  That was at least seven hours ago.

_Oh wow._

Faith had peeked inside an adjacent doorway inside her room.  It revealed a bathroom with a moderately large bathtub.  _That's exactly what I need_, she thought.  Immediately she started running some water and began to undress.  _1000 years into the future or not, sometimes all a girl needs is a nice, long bubble bath._

*knock, knock knock*

_Damn it_, she thought to herself.  "Hold on," she muttered as she quickly wrapped a towel around her body.  "Who is it?"

"Tidus" came her reply.  She had half a mind to open the door dressed in a towel and nothing else.  But then she thought better of herself and said, "Give me a few minutes."

"Hey" Tidus said when she finally came to the door.  "Uh," Tidus said with his arm behind his head.  Faith had already picked up on that motion meaning that he was uncomfortable.   "Can I come in for a minute?"

"Sure" she replied.

"Whatcha need?" she said as she sat down on her bed while Tidus closed the door behind him.  He propped himself up next to the door and shifted his weight.  Faith got the impression that he was about to break something to her.

"Well," he started, not really sure how to go on.  "I have some bad news, but first I need to know about you."

"I'm afraid I don't really know what you're talking about." She replied.  There was a hint of uneasiness in her voice.  

"Do you know anything about the Fayth, the summoning, or the Zanarkand we're from?" Tidus asked in rapid succession.

"No, no, and yes.  I grew up there.  What's all this about Tidus?"

For a while, he would not speak, he only stood there trying to find a way to put it into words.  Finally, he just said "We're dreams."

"Dreams" Faith repeated slowly and with a tone of utter confusion.  "Would you like to explain this to me?  Because I'm very confused right now."

Tidus sighed.  _How am I going to do this?_, he thought.  He pushed himself off of the wall and walked over next to Faith and sat on her bed with her.  "Do you remember when I blacked out on the trail to Zanarkand yesterday?"  he began.

_Blacked out_, her mind raced.  _Was that yesterday?  That seems like weeks ago_.  "Yeah," she murmured.

 "We'll I didn't exactly go to sleep.  I went back to our Zanarkand."

Faith didn't say anything, but her expression told him to go on.  

"I met the Fayth.  You know, summoners get their power from the people called the Fayth."

"Yeah, I remember," she said.  

"We'll you can summon anything with the power of the Fayth.  Aeons, magic, Sin, and even whole cities.  Bustling cities, full of people, animals and things.  Cities like Zanarkand.  The one were from."  

Tidus continued on without giving Faith the chance to soak it all in.

"When I went there.  There was this person I had met before, but never really knew.  She explained this to me.  She said that back when Zanarkand and Bevelle were at war, Zanarkand was completely destroyed.  The people who survived came together to become Fayth, and their summoning, is Zanarkand."

So many questions filled Faith's head, but the only thing she asked was "How?"

"I don't know" he replied looking downward.  "I don't know how to turn yourself into a Fayth.  Actually, I don't know much about them either.  But this I do know.  The dream of Zanarkand, which includes me and you, is being dreamt by many Fayth.  And they're tired.  They've been dreaming for years now, or so they said.  And when Sin is dead, they will have no more need to dream.  And the dream of Zanarkand will fade away."

"What does this mean?"  Although she wasn't exactly sure she wanted the answer.

After a brief pause, Tidus looked up into her eyes.

"We will both fade away too."

Yuna was bustling about the airship, talking to Cid, talking to Rin, and buying and selling items.  But she was also doing something else.  She was looking for Tidus.  Either he wasn't in his room when she knocked, or he was too tired to answer.  Yuna assumed that it was the latter.  After persistent knocking, she decided that she should let him sleep.  

It was obvious to everyone that she felt much better this evening.  Either it was because she took a long sleep and a long bath, or maybe, just maybe her dream is on the verge of coming true.  They were about ready to beat Sin, and she didn't have to die.  But that wasn't the part that excited her.  They were about ready to beat Sin, and she could live happily with Tidus by her side.  "Always" she muttered to herself aloud, thinking about Tidus and their conversation beside Macalania Lake.  Her mind then dwelled on that incredible night.

_"Will you stay with me until the end?"_

_"No, not until the end.  Always."_

And now always seems like its going to me much, much longer than she expected.  

She couldn't contain her happiness.  As a summoner, she is expected to smile; to put on a happy face when things are going bad.  But now, her smile is genuine, and it feels so good to her.  

Her happiness was subdued a bit though, when she turned a corner and saw Tidus come out of Faith's room.  Immediately that little pang of jealousy touched her again.  

For Tidus, the situation was harder than he expected it to be.  Faith didn't really take it well.  She kept asking question like "Is there anything we can do?", and "Does this mean we're going to die," and the one that really struck Tidus "Why does it have to be this way?"

Honestly, he had no answers for any of them.  That was the hardest part.

When he left her alone and closed the door behind him, he turned away to see Yuna standing there.  _Uh-oh_, he thought to himself.  Although he is totally committed to Yuna, lately its not been appearing that way.

"Uh, hey there" was his only remark.  He was trying to act composed and as if nothing was out of the ordinary.  It wasn't working.

"Hey," was her reply.

"Whatcha doin'?"

"Not much.  What were you doing?"

"Me?  We'll I had to talk to Faith." He paused before adding "Zanarkand stuff."  For a moment, he thought about the consequences of telling Yuna what she would have to know sooner or later.  That he was going to fade away.  _Later_, he thought to himself.  

"I see," Yuna replied slowly.

"Hey.  Don't worry.  Everything's fine."  _A straight lie_, he thought as he scolded himself.

"I hope so." She said, although she wasn't quite sure what he was talking about anymore.

"Hey," he said as he reached for her hand.  "Trust me."

With that, he stepped in, and kissed her.

It was a long while before anyone saw Tidus and Yuna again.

"Hey there kid," was Cid's greeting.  "Doing better this evening?"

"Yeah, a lot better," Faith replied.  "You got anything to eat around here?"

"Hmph, right behind you girl," he said while pointing in the opposite direction.  Faith had managed to cover about every inch of the airship in amazement.  _This thing is so huge_, she thought to herself.  
"So you're Rikku's dad," she said in between bits of something that reminded her of a bagel.  

"Yep," he replied.  "She's my pride and joy.  She's growin' up too fast, tho'"

"Yeah, well us girls have that tendency" Faith said while thinking briefly of her dad.  Immediately she felt a bit of homesickness come upon her.

She turned around as Tidus and Yuna entered the bridge of the ship.  "Has anyone thought of anything yet?" he started, followed immediately by "Oh wow, that looks good," looking in the direction of Faith's munchies.

"Obviously Faith has," Yuna said giggling as she said it.  Even though they were about ready to face Sin, she still had this feeling as if the battle was already won and the future was bright.  Only little did she know.

"Hey guys," Wakka said as he stepped onto the bridge.  "Whoa, is that food?"

"Yeah, and it sure seems to be popular today." Cid replied.

"Ya know, I was thinking." Wakka said as he reached in for a piece of bread.  "We need to do something to weaken Sin before we launch our attack.  Ya know, put the odds in our favor a bit ya?"

"That is the most intelligent remark you've made since you started this pilgrimage," Lulu said as she entered the chamber.  She stopped in her tracks and looked around as everyone was stuffing their faces with Al Bhed food.  Slowly she shook her head.  "We have a war to fight, and it looks like Sunday dinner in here."

That caused everyone to laugh.  "But on Wakka's note," she said, trying to play everything off. "Is there anything we can do that could help our chances?"

The lack of reply wasn't encouraging.

"Hey buddy," Wakka said looking towards Tidus.  "I know he's your father and all.  Do you remember anything that made him, ya know, weak?  Or maybe something he had a soft spot for?"

Tidus thought about it for a moment, and then said "Only hard liquor and screaming girls."

"We'll, so much for that.  I don't think getting Rikku and Lulu outside screaming at Sin is going to have much effect ya?"

"No," Tidus answered.  "And I don't think there's enough shine in Auron's jug to intoxicate all of Sin.  Right Auron?"  The monk had been propped up against the side of the bridge, looking at the passing scenery below.  Seemingly lost in his own thought, Tidus repeated "Auron?"

After a moment's hesitation, and lots of reflection, he uttered "The Hymn."

"What?" Rikku said.

"The hymn of the Faith.  I remember, when Jecht was changed into the Fayth for the final summoning, the Hymn was playing in Yunalesca's chamber.  When he heard that, he went speechless.  He then said that it reminded him of home.  I think it was the only time his emotions surprised me."

"So what?" Tidus said skeptically.  "We all get outside and sing the hymn of the Fayth as loud as we can?"

"No," Rikku began.  "But if we get everybody to do it, like everyone of Spira, it may just work."

"I don't know," Tidus said.  "It sounds a little far-fetched for me."

"Hey, you wanted me to think of something, and this is what I came up with!  Besides, Auron thinks it'll work."

"I never said that," Auron shot back at her.

"I think," Yuna started.  "I feel, that it could work."  She then looked up into Tidus' eyes and said "Lets do it."  

"Ok then," Cid said.  "I'll get on the wire and tell everyone to start practicing their singing voice.  From all over Spira, that friggin' hymn is going to be yelled straight at Sin.  And then, it's all up to you guys."

He turned to his communication officer and began to speak in Al Bhed.  He then turned back to face everyone.  "I told em' to go in an hour.  So you kids better be ready.  I'm gonna stock the missile turrets up, but there's only so much I can do."

The wind blew her auburn-red hair back.  The evening sun was glaring down upon them.  There wasn't a cloud in sight.  It was a wonderful day for the last battle for the sake of Spira.  Everyone was poised outside on the deck of the ship.  Everyone was tense, expecting, and waiting for something.  The hymn had been going on for five minutes now.  The airship was now in range of Sin, which was rendered immobile by the soothing force of the Hymn of the Fayth.  
"Hang on to your underwear," Cid's voice boomed over the external intercom.  I'm firing the first payload now.  Then I'll move in and you guys can do your thing.

To Faith, it seemed as if the entire right side of the ship exploded when the missiles were fired.  She had to cover her ears and cringe.  When she opened her eyes she saw the right fin of Sin go up in flames, with pieces falling down to the ground below.  Suddenly the whole ship shifted and turned parallel to Sin.  

Faith was awestruck.  Being this close to something so big really left her with a sense of power.  She could feel the evil coming off of it in thick, bloated waves.  There was a stench to the air, _like road kill_, she thought.  

Ultima blasted apart more of the right fin.  Faith regained her composure and quickly followed Lulu's lead with her own Ultima spell.  

Although Sin was out of his range, Tidus still became a pivotal part of the battle.  He gave Yuna a suggestive glance.  With only nodding her head in recognition, she turned her attention to hitting Sin with Holy.  This allowed Tidus to focus on healing and hasting, using potions and his own white magic.  _At least I'm doing something,_ he thought to himself.  The idea of not being able to attack Sin head on was unsettling.

It didn't take long for the rest of the right Fin to go.

"Good job out there," Cid said over the intercom.  "But ya better hold on to something, because were going after the other side now.   Faith grabbed ahold of the railing as the airship lurched forward and then swung to the left.  

"Firing payload two," Cid warned seconds before the rush of missiles came out.  Faith watched as the missiles struck their target, knocking pieces off of the left Fin.  "Movin' in now."

The ship then turned and came in close to Sin.  A little bit too close as the evil form turned and rammed into the hull causing everyone to loose their balance.  Faith grabbed hold of the railing with her other hand for more support.  Suddenly, she saw a red blur as Auron seized the opportunity and slashed open the Fin while it was close enough to hit.

"Sorry 'bout that." Cid said over the mic.  "Got a little too close."

"Everyone, stand back." Yuna said.  She closed her eyes, focused, and then called out to the heavens "Bahamut, help us."  

Faith heard the roar first.  When she looked up, she saw the clouds part and the intimidating form of Bahamut careen down towards them.  He then slammed into the deck in a rushing blur.  When he raised himself, he stuck his chest out and crossed his arms, staring menacingly at Sin.   

"Back away," Yuna whispered to  Faith.  She was only more than happy to get out of his way.  Bahamut was one Aeon she did not want to mess with.  

When everyone was clear, he jumped backwards, landing facedown on the deck.  The spiral ring on his back started to rotate faster and faster.  As it gained speed, it turned into an amazing array of colors.  Reds, blues, blinding whites, all growing more and more intense.  Then she heard Bahamut growl "Mega Flare."

Suddenly the lights shot out in a massive wave of energy that Faith had never seen anything like before.  When she looked back up, she saw Bahamut standing there, as proud as always, staring at the massive hole in Sin that he created.

"Hold on to something guys," Cid screeched over the loudspeaker.  "We're goin' in."

The silence was thick.  So was the tension.  So was the nervousness.  

The walk here was filled with fiends, which were disposed of easily.  Nobody uttered a word on the way to the final battle.  Nobody needed to.  Actually though, somebody should have.

_I should tell her now_, Tidus thought as he looked back to Yuna.  _She needs to know that I'm not going to be able to keep my promise.  That I can't stay with her, always_.  After a brief internal battle, he decided against it.  _I can't break her heart, _hethought_.  Especially with one more battle left.  They all needed to be composed, and focused._  He couldn't tell her quite yet.  

And now they all stood at the end that the road had taken them.  Now everyone was at the end of their story.  Everybody was feeling apprehensive about what was going to happen.  Everyone stared forward.

And then a figure appeared out of the mist.

He looked rugged and tan with long, scraggly hair.  He had his back turned towards everyone.  Faith ran his name over in her head, trying to believe it was really him.

_Jecht_.

Tidus stepped forward a few cautious steps before pausing to see what the figure would do.

"You're late Auron" he finally said.

"I know." The monk replied.

He then turned to the address the crowd, and then to address his son.

"Hey."

"Hi," Tidus said after a brief hesitation.

_This tension sucks_, Faith thought to herself.  Not wanting to look at the situation, she started to glance around.  The rendering of Zanarkand seemed to be exactly how she remembered it.  For a brief moment, she allowed her mind to race away.  _I still can't believe that I'm going to vanish soon.  I can't believe that this is the end._

She then glanced around at everyone.  Rikku was staring at her feet, pretending not to hear anything.  Wakka was shifting his balance while looking in every direction but straight.  He glanced at Faith, who only gave a small shrug back in return.  Only Kimahri seemed perfectly composed.

"Hpmh." Jecht continued.  "You got tall, but you're all bones.  You eating right boy?"

There was no reply.

"You've really grown," he followed.

"Yeah," Tidus said, with his voice a little strained.   "But you're still bigger."

"We'll, I am Sin you know."

"That's not funny." Tidus replied sharply.

Jecht started to laugh, which rubbed Tidus even more the wrong way.  After all everyone has been through.  After all Tidus and Jecht have been though, he has the nerve to laugh.

"We'll, then……I mean….you know."  Jecht started.  The funny thing was, he had ten years to think about what to say, but now when he was finally face to face with his son, he froze up.

Finally he said, "Lets end this."

"Dad?"

"Yeah?"

"I hate you." Tidus said.

Jecht gave a small laugh, and then suddenly was stark serious.  "I know, I know.  You know what you have to do."

"Yeah."

"I can't hear the hymn so well anymore.  Pretty soon I'm going to be Sin, completely.  I'm glad you're here now."

"One thing though," he continued.  "When it starts, I won't be myself anymore.  I won't be able to hold myself back.  I'm sorry."

"That's enough!!" Tidus screamed back.  "Lets finish this, ok?"

"You're right."

He then turned to walk away.

"We'll then, LETS GO!!"

With that, Jecht was enveloped in a veil of white light.  Suddenly, he jumped back towards the edge of the cliff, as if something had startled him.  To Tidus' horror, he continued rocking back towards the cliff.  Without thinking, Tidus' ran in a dead sprint to try and reach out to his dad.  He was only inches away as he fell to the depths of Sin.  "No!" he screamed downward.

A few moments later, beams of light started to shoot from the far corners of Zanarkand.  They were heading straight towards the group.  It was then that the whole city seemed to rumble, catching the fighters off-guard.  One by one, all of the city lights lit up and shone brightly.  

Suddenly a flaming large hand crept up from the bottom and slammed on the platform inches away from Tidus.  Then another hand emerged.  Following was a huge demonic hybrid of the evil of Sin, and Jecht.

"I promise this will be quick," Tidus yelled while waving his sword.  "Hit me with all you've got, dad!"

To Faith, the final battle was not what she expected it to be.  She suddenly lost the will to fight.  She didn't have that warrior's edge_.  I guess that's why I'm not a warrior,_ she thought.  She also got the impression that as much as her heart wasn't in the battle, neither was Jecht's.  Although he would lash out with vicious attacks that would level everyone, he would often pause before attacking again.  He would never go in for the kill.  _It's almost as if_, Faith thought.  _It's almost as if he doesn't want to win_.  After she hit him with Flare, she thought about it again.  _Yes, most definitely.  He wants to end it all, at the hands of his son._

And his son was the one who gave the final blow.

The large demonic version of Jecht gave a final roar, and collapsed onto the platform.  Then in one swift motion, an object encased in light suddenly shot out of the back of the fallen enemy.  The object swarmed around the platform, darting back and forth in midair.  _The soul of Yu Yevon_, Tidus thought to himself.  _He will posses no more guardians, and will create no more Sin._  Suddenly the distorted image of Jecht exploded in a rush of blinding light.  It took a while for Tidus' eyes to readjust.  When they did, the only thing he saw was his dad wavering on his two feet.  His eyes were closed and his head was down, throwing his hair everywhere.  He looked like he was supported only by a strand of thread hanging from above.  And the tread was about to break.  Auron made a quick step towards his old friend, but Tidus was three steps ahead of him.  Right before Jecht's body went limp and hit the floor, Tidus reached out and cradled his fallen father.

He rested Jecht's body on his own chest.  He then lowered himself on his knees to help him lie down.  It was then that Tidus realized something.  _This is the first time I've ever hugged my dad, and it will be the last time I will ever have the chance._  Tidus shifted his weight so he could lay Jecht flat on the cold ground.  Tidus' emotions were almost overbearing.

"You'll cry." Jecht said in between gasps of air.  "You're gonna cry.  You always cry.  See, you're cryin'."

Tidus couldn't hold back the tears anymore.  They ran warm down the sides of his cheeks.  In between sobs, he managed to get out four words:

"I hate you dad." 

"Save it for later."

"Right," Tidus answered, his voice still shaky.  "We've got a job to do, don't we?"

"Good." Jecht said, raising up on his elbows.  "That's right.  You are my son after all."

"You know, for the first time I'm glad, to have you as my…."

"Father."

"Heh." Jecht said.  Although now wasn't the time for this, Jecht still couldn't help but to be glad to have Tidus as his son.

Yuna reluctantly stepped up.  She needed to say this, but she also didn't want to ruin the emotionally charged moment.  "Sir Jecht." She started.  "I should…"

"No Yuna." Jecht said as he cut her off.  "There's no time."

Suddenly, the soul of Yu Yevon swooped by close enough that Tidus could feel the air come off of the being.  "You stay away," he screamed at it, waving his sword around angrily.

"Yuna." Jecht continued.  "You know what to do.  The Aeons…."

Suddenly the small figure of the Fayth materialized and spoke, her voice filling the chamber.  "We Aeons."

Tidus shot a look towards Faith, who looked back at him.  Her face told Tidus what he wanted to hear.  "_I have never seen that Fayth ever before."_

"Call them!" Jecht exclaimed.

"Call us," the Fayth echoed.

And with that, Jecht's body collapsed and fell back onto the floor.  His body was lifeless and blood started to pool up around him.  Tidus just stared in disbelief.  _Maybe there is still something I can do_, he thought.  Part of his mind rambled off possibilities such as using a phoenix down.  But then he watched in horror as his body disintegrated in a flash of light, and then to pyreflies slowly fading away.

Faith wanted to do something, anything.  For a moment she too thought about either a phoenix down or maybe a life potion.  _It's too late_, some part of her mind said.  She also wanted to do something to comfort Tidus.  But when she looked back at him, Yuna had stepped in, and put her hand on his shoulder.

Everyone watched in awe as what was left of Jecht, the great blitzball player, guardian, and Sin himself, fazed away into nothingness.

"Yes," Yuna solemnly said.

She turned, and raised her summoner's rod.

"Here it comes" Lulu said.  Yu Yevon swooped far right, then back to the left, and then headed straight for everyone with alarming speed.  

Faith was wondering about Tidus.  She hoped he could hold up under the substantial amount of emotional turmoil he was going through_.  We still have one more battle to fight_, she thought to herself.

Suddenly, Yu Yevon plowed into the platform, sending everyone scattering away.  When Tidus came to, he was laying face down on the platform with his sword five feet from his side.  

"Yuna," he exclaimed.

Yuna just nodded her head and closed her eyes to focus.  

Tidus watched in horror as Valefor came swooping down from the heavens, only to be intercepted by the remnant of Yu Yevon.  Then the color of the Aeon changed from bright purple with red marks, to eerie silver.  _Possessed by Yu Yevon_, Faith thought to herself.  _He's trying anything now._

With amazing speed, Tidus thrust himself forward.  In three quick slashes Valefor had been defeated.  Once again, Yu Yevon expelled himself from his possessed body while looking around for a new one.  

The same thing happened with all the Aeons.  Faith didn't know whether or not it was frustration, adrenalin, or raw emotion, but something had inspired Tidus.  He was the only one that attacked the Aeons.  Not because nobody else would, but because he made such quick work of them that there was nothing to do but to sit and watch.

Finally after all the Aeons were disposed of, the embodiment of Yu Yevon lowered itself to their level, hovering menacingly.

_Oh dear Lord_, Faith comically thought to herself.  _It looks like a large bloated tic_.  It was then that Tidus turned around and slowly addressed his friends.  

_I should have done this a long time ago_, he accused himself.

"Everyone," he started.

"This is the last time we fight together. Ok?"

"Huh?" Wakka asked with a puzzled look on his face.

Tidus ignored him and walked in Yuna's direction.  When he got close enough to look her in the eyes, he found the strength to continue.  

"What I'm trying to say is…."

He paused a moment, trying to regain his composure.

"Good-bye."

"Wha-what?!?" Rikku said.

"After we beat Yu Yevon," he continued.  "I'll disappear."

"What are you talking about?" Lulu asked.

He paid her no mind, only standing there looking into Yuna's eyes.  Then, without a word, he walked by her towards Yu Yevon, who was waiting on him.

"I'm saying good-bye." He said, sword in hand and poised to fight his last battle.  "I know its selfish." He continued.  "But this is my story."

With that, he jumped in and took two shots at the bloated tic that is Yu Yevon.  To his surprise, Yevon auto-casted Curaga on himself.  Kimahri rushed in from the right side and drove his spear deep into Yevon.  Again, it casted Curaga.

"Hey Faith." Tidus yelled as Lulu unleashed Ultima.

"Yeah"

"Have you ever used Reflect?"

Quickly her mind raced.  _Reflect, reflect_.  "No, but I'll try."  Gathering all of the knowledge she knew of magic spells, she closed her eyes and focused her energy on Yu Yevon.  Suddenly the familiar shield of light appeared in front of it.  

Auron went in and hit Yevon with all he had.  It casted Curaga on itself, but this time it beamed over to Rikku.

"Woo-hoo" she exclaimed.  "Good thinkin' Tidus."

With reflect in place, it wasn't long before the warriors annihilated Yu Yevon.  He exploded in a rush of light so bright that Faith had to shield her eyes.  When she opened them, she was momentarily perplexed.  After a while, she realized she was back on the deck of the Airship, with all of her friends with her.   She was about to say something to Kimahri when Sin suddenly exploded.  

The shock wave bounced everyone as if they were puppets without strings.  She grabbed desperately for holds as the ship turned and twisted on a downward spiral.  Without finding anything she started sliding backwards off of the deck of the ship.  She screamed as she saw the edge rush upwards to engulf her.  Seemingly at the last second before she plummeted to off the ship, she felt a strong hand grab the back collar of her shirt.  She turned her head and reached back to grab whatever arm was holding her.  Her hands touched blue fur.  

"Thanks Kimahri."

After a few more terrifying seconds of free fall, she felt the thrusters kick in and the deck soon stabilized.

"Is everyone ok?" she asked.  Everyone gave small nods and "yeah."

"I guess I should start." Yuna said after the next few minutes of stunned silence.  She really didn't want to, because every time she has performed a sending, it has been with a heavy heart with the hint of death in the air.  This time is different though.  This will be the last sending she will ever have to do.  It also marks the start of a new life, one without the death and destruction of Sin 

But there was another reason why she didn't want to start the sending: Tidus was holding her hand.  Everyone was on the deck of the ship, yelling and awestruck of the victory.  All of her friends were there.  This was close to perfect for Yuna. She was holding onto the man she loved, in the company of her best friends, with Sin just defeated.  The scenery also helped make this moment special.  The sky was ablaze with bright reds, sharp oranges, and flashing particles of light.  Even though it was deep into the night, the warm colors mad her feel like it was early evening.  In her mind, it was truly beautiful.  She wanted to spend as much time here as she possibly could.  As perfect as the moment was, she still had some work to do.  _There will be plenty of time for us afterwards,_ she thought to herself.  

With that thought in mind, she picked up her summoner's rod, and started the sending.

It wasn't five minutes into the dance when she suddenly stopped.  She was staring in Auron's direction.  Her eyes then widened and her jaw dropped as she realized what was happening, and what the implications were. 

Auron was fading away.

"Don't stop," he pleaded with her.  After ten years of being an undead, the feeling of finally going to the Farplane was greater than anything Auron had ever imagined.  It felt as if he was going home after being in some strange land for half an eternity.  He would soon see his friends, family, and other people close to him that had passed on before.  And after all of this time, he actually looked forward to it.  He can leave this world with a sense of closure, of a fulfilled life, and of promises kept.

"But I…." Yuna said, struggling for the words.

"It's all right," he said. 

Auron stepped forward, walking by his friends and fellow guardians.  He was proud of all of them, and of the fight they shared.  As he passed each of them, he looked each one in the eye, hoping to express his thoughts non-verbally.  When he came to Kimahri, more than a look would have to do.  He reached up with his right hand, balled it into a fist, and gave the powerful Ronso a tap in the chest.  

When he approached Tidus, he had to say something.  But the only words that would come to him were "It's been long enough."  He then stepped forward, flinging his massive sword upon his back.  He walked up to the edge of the deck.  He walked straight, upright, and proud.  The last thing he did, was to turn and look at everyone one last time.  His brown eye just as focused as ever was looming over the top of his glasses.

"This is your world now," he said with his ever-present cool and low voice.

Those were the last words he ever spoke.  His body then broke up into pieces and shards of light.  But right before he disappeared, Faith could make out a simple expression on his face.  He was smiling.

And the most legendary guardian who ever lived started his voyage to the Farplane.

--------------------------

Author's notes:

1—The characters, places, events referred to, etc., are copyrighted by Squaresoft.  

2—This story however is created by me.

3—Faith is my character, don't use her in any way she wouldn't appreciate.

4—I hope I did Auron justice.  He was my favorite character in the game and I hope I gave him an appropriate ulegy. 

5—Only one more chapter left, and then I can start on my original storyline instead of just correlating with the game.

6—Any comments, complaints, advice, bashings, etc., hit me at rune_paradigm@yahoo.com, or just put it in a review.


End file.
